


Muscle

by FawnoftheWoods



Series: Where the Hitter Is [1]
Category: Leverage
Genre: Crew as Family, Episode Tag, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Eliot Spencer, Team as Family, Trust, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-03-12 19:24:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 26,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13553958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FawnoftheWoods/pseuds/FawnoftheWoods
Summary: Episode tags for the 1st season.  Mostly from Eliot's perspective, a couple from Alec's perspective.





	1. When At First He didn't Run

**Author's Note:**

> I collected the previously posted stories here also

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a character study for Eliot during the first episode.

Eliot was trying a new staff move when the info came in.  He had been commissioned for a job by a civilian.  A lightweight really.  The guy didn't belong in the underside of things.  Eliot had no problem retrieving something for the engineer.  All the details were due in today.

Then he heard he was going to do this job with others, he almost backed out.  But 300K was a lot of much needed money right now.  He had a black mark on his record from that damn sword heist 18 months ago.  He was just lucky Guttman had lost interest before he had to deal with the fallout.  He needed another few good jobs.  Especially since he wanted to stay ahead of Damien.  

He was tickled when he heard this job had enticed Ford back into the game.  They had all heard the story, of course. Damn, he would have killed IYS for leaving him hanging out to dry.  His employer’s fear of him was half his insurance policy.  Others' fear was the rest.  When Nate got in touch for set up, the man gave them each a list of tasks they had to be able to accomplish and additional supplies to carry.  Why he needed a leg brace was something Eliot had decided not to ask.

They met in front of the building as planned.  He hadn't met Parker or Hardison, but he'd heard of their work.  They would be doing most of the actual stealing.  Eliot was transport far more than extraction when the target wasn't a living person.  Once he met them, he learned why he'd never met them.

Hardison was a stupid punk kid that 300K would barely be enough to tolerate and if Parker obeyed any rules, only god himself knew them.  He about bit his tongue when she sent them down the elevator shaft.  His part in the scheme didn’t appear until things started to go sideways, as normal.  Hearing Nate tell him he was up sent an additional jolt of adrenaline through his already hyped system.  He wanted someone to hit.  Using the kid as bait was a bonus.  So was the appreciative glance when he finished clearing the zone.  

He'd thought that after the guards had come, Hardison would be jumpy about things going more wrong, but it turned out the kid had more of a spine than he thought.  When the computer lock cracked, the punk gave a truly amazing grin.  He had to hand it to the punk, Hardison did his job.  And when things truly started falling to pieces and they were all bailing, he held it like a pro, claiming he had the merchandise.  No hysteria.

Of course, that wouldn't have gotten them out of there.  No that was Ford's job.  They all met up in the elevator as Ford explained how he had many plans.  Eliot couldn't resist poking Hardison about the plan that he dies.  Besides its a good distraction from the blonde changing behind him.  And from the fact that both he and Hardison turned away from watching her.  It was rare that he found people he could stomach working with.  But he could never handle these two full time.  On show only group, even if it was fun.

At least now he knew why he had a leg brace.

* * *

Not getting paid wasn’t in the plan.  This guppy hired him, he doesn’t get to not pay him.  Especially if one of the others screwed up.  ELiot was fuming when he headed to the warehouse to meet the crew he wasn't supposed to ever see again.   Of course, leave it to a computer geek to bring a gun to a fight with a hitter.  Eliot just stared at the barrel trying to figure the best way to knock the idiot upside the head when Nate showed up.  Both of them showed Hardison the punk had no talent with a gun.  Parker at least had a handle on hers when she showed up.  Even is she had a special angry place.

Getting blown up like an idiot wasn’t in the plan either.  Damn, waking up with the cops cuffing him wasn’t fun.  He sat in the chair waiting for Nate to wake up as he thought back to their escape. He had forgotten these guys weren’t his brothers.  This was supposed to be a walk away. Despite that, despite his joke that he liked the plan where Hardison died, when the kid tripped, he had picked him up.  Nate had opened the door, waited for them.  He was supposed to know better, to not get attached to his crew anymore but, dammit, Parker and Hardison were just kids. Cute kids, but not his responsibility, he tried to remind himself firmly.  And, he suspected, futilely.

He let Nate get them all out, it was simply because it got him out with minimum violence.  And watching Nate in action was sweet.   Especially on the same side.  By the way, for those keeping track Hardison is not cute.  Banging Eliot's head against the door of the police car was not fucking cute.  Definitely not cute and definitely needs to be taught a lesson about respecting the muscle.  Though the apartment was a nice surprise, guess the kid didn't live with his mom.  Parker's analysis of Dubenich’s protection was spot on.  As spot on as her priorities were off.

By that point, he really was starting to hate Nate’s little lectures.  For one thing the man had a knack for making him feel like he was stupid.  First, he came to the warehouse to get blown up and now he trusted Dubenich because he was a thief.  The guy wasn’t a thief and he was totally grifted, so he could shove it.

London had sounded good until Nate sounded like he was started another plan.  The first 2 had been fun, and if they fell apart, Eliot would just hop ship.  Nate was right, he could get his payback and some money while he was at it.  Nate played Parker’s skewed priorities well. She was on board.

Why did Nate care?  His son, that was a good enough reason for Eliot.  Family was one thing no one should touch.

Hardison was different.  Eliot couldn’t figure the kid out.  What the hell did he want?  Pornos, seriously?  It was like he’s down for whatever, did he ever care?

And what the hell is a Sophie?

Seriously, what was she?  His brain hurt listening to her try to portray Lady MacBeth.  Or he remembers thinking so.  He’d seen the play when working for Damien.  But Jesus, this was bad.  What the hell could she do? They were so getting caught.

He discovered Sophie was a surprise beyond all surprise.  He should have known when she knew about Ban Houei Xai.  She returned his attempt to flirt with a seriously dangerous statement.  It was an odd place for him to be and she suddenly became more dangerous to him.  

So did Nate.  He picked up aerospace engineering like he picked up everything else, was there anything this man didn’t know?

Parker was crazy.  Sophie was smart, Nate was crafty and Hardison was a geek.  He had found a group of dangerous people.  He needed to get away from them as soon as possible.  He also was intrigued.  He fell back to his standard.  Learn what he can for later, enjoy the interesting people and keep your exits open.

Besides Sophie and Nate were fun to watch.

And oh god, Parker was crazy!

 _"Speed_."

He made a note to be wary of Parker’s plans.  He passed them as she led Sophie into the stairwell.  He mentally wished Sophie luck.  Her shriek in his earbud had him biting his lip to keep from laughing.  Especially at Dubenich’s comment about her “glow”.

Listening to Dubenich close their trap was a thing of beauty.  His screams for Anna echoed through the halls.  They walked in and just took all the files they needed.  It felt good, gleeful almost to wear an FBI coat and just waltz right out with all those file.  He didn’t even care that Nate wanted to return the plan free of charge.  Watching Hardison hand them out was entertaining as Parker giggled with glee at them.

After he and Hardison checked that Pierson was alone, he sat back and watched as Hardison went online with his smile of unholy glee.  This punk really did enjoy his computer stuff.

And drawing out suspense.  He was about ready to smack him to give them the damn envelopes.  He needed to know if he made anywhere near the 300K he was supposed to originally.  Sophie’s conversation with Parker was entertainment while he waited.

$32,761,349.05

And Eliot was free!  This was enough for Eliot to not have to worry about being chased again.

32 million dollars!  He had never seen such a payday.  Hardison was allowed all the cackling he wanted at his computer, damn, he  _was_  good!

They were all good.  A walkaway.  No way!  Parker and Hardison were going to get themselves in trouble.  They just had to convince Nate.

Black king

White Knight


	2. Welcome Back?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the 1st job, they split, agreeing that Nate would call them back when he found them a bad guy to steal from. Eliot wasn't sure the call would ever come. When it did, he wasn't sure he was ready for what it meant.

Berlin was a good city.  Eliot liked it as far as cities go.  He had used the 32 million to pay off most of his pursuers with money left to spare.  The job in Berlin was a favor.  

Also, he was bored.  Berlin was a good way to kill time by removing one of his many aggrieved coworkers.

When his phone rang, he nearly swore in relief.  He didn’t want to be doing favors anymore.  He wanted something more interesting.  Something like Hardison.

Besides he always enjoyed making people lose their concentration by mentioning their mother.  

000

“Don’t you trust us?”  

He really didn’t want to answer that, even if they were talking about money.  Parker, he could fool.  Hardison too, but Sophie would see through whatever quip or answer he tried to give.  

Speaking of Hardison, his painting was fucking weird.

Still his pride in the new computer system was cool.  And he had hockey.

Nate looked good.  Nate, the damn golden boy, millions to a children’s hospital looked energized.  Eliot knew his kids death wasn’t dealt with, but the donation to the hospital seems to have helped some.  The sense of purpose seems to have done more.

Eliot could tell he had found another bad guy to take down.  And Eliot had front row seat for the plan.  He could already feel his heart rate rise to the challenge.

At first, he wondered if the kid in the fatigues was their target.  He couldn’t’ve been more than 20, talking to his fiance in the film.  Eliot knew him.  He knew a lot of him.  Kids with dreams of serving for $7/day.  He had trained with them, served with them and in too many cases watched them die.  It wouldn’t be the first time he saw one go bad, but he was surprised to hope that the kid wasn’t their target.

Back when he first started as a hitter, going for a baby-faced soldier made his stomach turn.  His stomach didn’t even quiver anymore, but somehow, he was hoping they weren’t about to need to target a good soldier.

The sounds of the NATO rounds and the submachine gun filled the air, telling him it was not Insurgents.  5.56 rounds matched what he could see of the contractors and the 9 mm rounds would be the submachine gun.  Not long range either, close to the camera.

He could remember the first time he heard that sound.  They were trapped in a bunker.  The three of them hunkered down as the bullets tore through the grass tufts on the left.  Rogers leaned over to yank Gilers back in.

“ _Those are fucking NATO rounds, you idiot!  You treat them like AK’s and you’ll be swiss cheese.”_

Then another round came from their right, slightly further off.  He heard Rogers swear.  

“ **_Those_  ** _are AK-47.  Those are the damn natives we are here to roust.  If the damn Brits could stop tossing rounds at us!”_

Eliot remembered tasting the sweat on his lips as he committed the sound to memory.  He remembered the smell blood on Gilers uniform as he charged the insurgents so both the brits and Eliot and Rogers could move to pincer them.  Damn kid was dead before he landed.  The glare of the sun beat the sand into their face as Eliot took out their mission and then retreated, blowing up his comrade to remove all trace of their presence.  

Rogers was a good commander.  He’d introduced Eliot to Vance.  Taught Eliot a lot about staying alive.  Including the sound of different bullets hitting a body.

It was a very distinctive sound.

He’d be impressed that any of the soldiers made it out of the video alive.  Nate proves it when a moment later he states that the camera man is not only alive but their client.  

He agrees with the kid's report, the contractors shot them.  But this is a defense contractor.  He was the sole hitter against a private army.  He was only one fucking person.  He was good, but he wasn’t god!

He lets out a breath when he realized they were not attacking them directly.  He had to smile at Nate's gleeful grin when he explains how they are circumventing both the hitters and the lawyers.

“Corp Perry is lucky he doesn’t have lawyers, he has theives.”  

He also can’t stop the chuckle when he hears Nate see the painting.

000

The first move starts pretty normal.  He razzes Nate about the suit for show, he prefers being near the food.  Besides no one notices the wait staff.  It also give him the freedom to laugh at Parker’s interaction with Hardison.  

“Big Baby”

The kid is so gone on the pint-sized thief.  But he’d better watch it.  She’s still 20 lbs of crazy in a 5 lb bag.  

Besides the kid is so naive.  Seriously?  If Castleman’s plan for owning congress makes his stomach queasy, he really is in the wrong business.  Though he is handy.  The phone being able to do anything without Eliot needing to do something astounds him.

Parker’s needs for the voice lock is also astounding.  Only 10 sounds left.  Sophie’s done well in diversifying the conversation.  He rolls the sounds requested around in his head a few minutes.  He’s carrying appetizers, so that limits his food names, but he can get 8 of them with one appetizer, but he isn’t certain how to get “oo” or the “ef” afterwards.

He slows his approach as he shuffles the sounds again.  Whatever he says, won’t be what’s on the plate.  He’s pretty sure if he’s irritating enough he can get the idiot to swear at him so that deals with 3 of the sounds.  Pate d’escargot will hit many of them.  

He smiles, why not stick to french  The man is a pretentious bastard, he’ll use it even if he doesn’t know what it means.  He hopes Sophie either doesn’t know what he’s saying or will able to keep a straight face since the translation will be snail paste in Argentine beer.  

He also enjoys acting like a simpleton.  Especially since this is clearly not escargot.  Save him people who don’t understand food!

His attention shifts as Hardison talks about what they are finding.  He puts it together at the same time as Nate.  He loses the plates quickly as Sophie plays her hunch.  

He just knew they were going to have to deal with Castleman’s hitters.  

000

It was damn hospital, he couldn’t clear it fast enough.  There were too many doors.  Especially when a doctor stops him.  A doctor wearing soft, comfortable shoes.  

Back in Italy he had been part of security detail.  Not the rookie, but not high up either.  The rookie on the team called in an alert.  A couple had walked in that he didn’t liek the look of.  Eliot had listened as they were run through the database and cleared.  Them their team leader swung close and cleared them again.  The rookie swore they were not normal partiers.

Eliot shifted to see them, but the leader called him on it and cleared them from notice.  He sent the rookie out of the room.  

When the shooting was over, half the team injured, three dead, not including their target but including their team leader.  Eliot had cornered the rookie to ask.  He remembered what the rookie said.

“ _My mom loved these events.  She would always tell me you could tell so much about someone’s shoes.  Whether they liked to dance, whether they cared more for looks or comfort, so many things.  In a place like this, with all these fancy things.  That lady was wearing shoes you could run in._ ”

Eliot turned to see two military boots walk silently down the hospital hallway towards the elevators.  Worse, he saw Nate come into view on the other side.

He needed a distraction now!

Crashing into them had bought him time to separate them from their target.  The metal stand gave him space for the knives but dammit Marine knife moves were a bitch to avoid.

He had learned them from the ground up in special forces.  Vance had introduced him to Hadler, Ex-marine.  He was someone who believed you didn’t know something until you could do it and defend against it.  Eliot nearly lost a finger on that last part but he learned it well.

It was a very distinctive style.

Nate’s improv was interesting.  It was rare that a mark would help protect themselves without getting in his way.  He made sure both were down, at least temporarily before grabbing their go bag and joining Nate in the elevator, shielding the occupants from sight in case one got up again.

He needed Nate to understand that now they were going against that private army he had warned them about.  The way those guys had moved said force recon, or at least one of the marine special ops.

While he had meant to impress upon Nate the severity of what they were doing, he hadn’t intended on scaring the others.  It was true none of them actively hurt people.  That was actually the reason the first thing he did when he emptied the pilfered bag was disarm the gun.  These three weren’t fighters.  They didn’t have the blood of soldiers, let alone innocents on their hands.  This wasn’t new to him, but it was scaring them.

Nate’s dramatic statement balanced his levity nicely in bringing their focus back to the table.  Eliot knew, they couldn’t handle being the one hurting people though.  So he would have to be the one to do it.

But Nate was scaring them, they needed something to hold on to, an end in sight.  That could get you through the darkest fear.

000

“A man only ever looks a woman in the eye when he’s making the effort to lie to her.”

Eliot can't argue with that, as chauvinistic as that sounded.  Hardison’s agreement was funny as Parker seems to try to process that.  He would have to watch that behavior in himself.  Belatedly, he wondered how many other women noticed this.

Sophie’s levity helped a lot.  Eliot knew the value of a joke, especially since they were all so tense.  Both Sophie and Nate seemed to get it.

Parker and Hardison’s excitement at stealing a law was what kept him entertained while he messed with the congressman.  Canceling wood panels was fun.  Then he tracked down the countertops, which were some fancy granite and changed them to this nearly psychedelic swirly plastic. The cabinet knobs were changed from an ornate iron to Buggy the clown.

Of course, this all while he hears Hardison rocking Parker’s “sexiness”.  Poor kid was totally gone on her.

Eliot had to laugh at Parkers fun, “The Eagle has landed.”

And “Rich guys on the phone version of make-up sex”?  Hardison is a continuous quip artist.  Not that he’d tell him that.  He hopes the kid never takes himself too seriously.

When he grabs him and calls him Rambo, its not as hard as it usually is to keep himself from shrugging off the hand. It has to bee the first time someone has help him back with no interest in actually controlling him as much as to get his attention. Naturally Hardison has a computer fix to the camera he sees, but Eliot is so ready to hit something.  Plus it’s faster than the phone thing.

“I”m sorry its too far away for you to punch.”  Eliot’s breath almost caught in laughter as he dashed to the unit.

He’s got to admit, he was pretty amazed at the sheer amount of money.  Usually he’s looking at something with value beyond currency, but this was impressive.

It took nearly 20 minutes to have a break in the guards to sneak away.  He was starting to feel almost normal between the crazy of Hardison and Parker.  This feeling is enhanced as he watches Parker practically makes out with the cash.

000

It's funny when Nate reminds them that they aren’t keeping the money.  For a moment, all of them had dollar signs in their eyes.  Except Nate.  Eliot realized that having that money, showing Castleman up, that was his high.  When had that become Eliot’s high?

It wasn’t originally about the money.

Even with Damien, it wasn’t about the money.  No, he won’t think about  _him_.  He will focus on Nate’s crazy ass plan that involves gun pointed at Hardison.  He makes sure he is in a position to be able to cover him if things sounded like they were going south.

But Hardison kept his cool.  His back and forth with Parker was light-hearted.  He picked up Nate and Sophie without any trouble.  THey were supposed to be in the back of the truck, but he didn’t like the lack of position.  He positioned himself under the chassy so that if something happened, he could back up Hardison.

He nearly came out when he heard the gun clock.  But HArdison, cool as you please, opened the container to show the magic trick.  They fell for it very well.  He could hear Hardison sending the video to every media cell phone number within a quarter mile.  It was hysterical as they watched the live new feed from the trusck where Hardison had pulled over a mile from the storage facility.

He was still smiling as they headed to St Francis Hospital.

000

Corp Perry was everything Eliot expected when he came wheeling out of the hospital.  The doctor’s skepticism was exactly as Nate had described it.  Hardison had no problem showing them the magic trick.  Eliot could help the warmth that grew in his chest as the team said, without prompting that this belonged to the people, the soldiers.  That it was for rehab for wounded soldiers.  No prompting, to reminding, no questioning, just a certainty that they deserved to be looked after.

He was proud to shake the man’s hand.  This man had experienced war, loss and hardship.  He had reached out and he had believed in what he was doing.  He wasn’t the kid on the film anymore.  He had earned Eliot’s respect.

His problem had pulled this crew back together.  For that, he had earned Eliot’s thanks.

He heard Nate’s parting comment to the Doctor.

“The world just doesn’t work this way.”

“So change the world.”

Somewhere, Eliot could hear a bright, young eighteen-year-old pump his hands as he salutes the flag, as he receives his first assignment.  His smile proud as he is told he is now serving his country, praying to god that he was good enough.  Before the loss hits.  Before the pain stabs.  Before the light dies.  He stands there proud of who and what he is.

“Anybody who wants to walk away, can do it right now.”

Eliot feels his smile drop as the image of the soldiers in front of him who didn’t have their soul striped from them shows him what he’s lost.  This family next to him.  Maybe for a while he can pretend.

“One more.”  Please, one more.

“Maybe two.”  Yes please.  For a little while he’d look for that young man in the mirror again.

He can watch Parker learn what a plant does.

He can watch Hardison flail around Parker.

He can watch Sophie tease Nate.

He can watch Nate hit his midlife crisis.

He can watch himself be the good guy.


	3. Asking for Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliot has a client for them. He just has to figure out how to get Nate interested in them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unlike my previous episodes, this doesn't go through the whole episode. I thought of something different here.

Nate’s last job involved a small army. Eliot would like a slightly less dangerous mission for a change.  He’s given the chance when Willie called him up on the old contact info.

When Willie told him the story, he felt his blood burn.  Aimee was the one who got away.  The one he had betrayed.  She never knew he hadn’t seen the sun for 2 months when his promised return date came and went..  She never knew that he was unconscious for nearly 2 weeks after he’d made his escape.  She never knew that her face was what he focused on as the nights, and the beatings, wore on.  And she was never going to know.

He wasn’t right for her.  He was a hitter. She needed a husband.    

But now she needed a hitter, and he still owed her and her father.

Horses were family to anyone from that area.  The horses’ death burned him to the core almost as bad as the betrayal he remembered.  Nate had to take the case.

It wasn’t until he was in front of Nate that he realized he was asking for help.  That Nate might turn him down.  He couldn’t chance that.

“Nate, I think I’ve found a client for us.”

He had nothing to offer Nate to take this job.  He wasn’t an innocent, like the people Nate helped and he didn’t have anything Nate wanted.  Nate cared little for money and seemed halfway to passive suicide anyway.  

No, if he wanted Nate’s help, it had to be because Willie needed it.

“It’s a family business against a hedge fund owner.  The man is going to lose his business.”

Nate had no problem agreeing to meet the man with Eliot.  All during the meeting, he had to hold his emotions in a tight rein.   He kept interrupting Willie with more facts.  He felt like he had to give Nate all the information he could.  

When Willie talked about how horses scream, he nearly lost it.  He almost let himself ask Nate to help.  Luckily Willie kept talking and Nate wasn’t looking at him.

Willie had probably convinced Nate pretty good, too.

Then Aimee walked in.

“ _You called him?!?_ ”

“ _Eight years, no phone calls, no letters, you don't earn a homecoming parade._ ”

God, her tone made something hurt, like always.  Even worse, he could see Nate putting two and two together.  He kept his face, his tone as light as possible.  A homecoming parade?  Perhaps if he thought he could come home.  

Diverting conversation to her husband had been a desperate attempt to change the subject off him, but instead it hurt more.  He never thought the man would leave her.  The jackass was getting a visit from him when he could get away from the crew long enough.

Worse, Nate had finished adding twos to get four.  He brushed it off as a simple thing on his side, part of his non-hitter past.  He wasn’t sure how much Nate guessed, but when Nate started backing out, he knew he couldn’t let that happen.

If it meant he wasn’t involved with Aimee, then fine.  He already let her down, not like he had the right to say anything anyway.

He raised his left hand, “I wanna help Willie. Scout’s honor.”

Nate looked at him in a way that told him, he hadn’t fooled Nate

“Wrong hand.”

000

The smile on Willie’s face, on Aimee’s face, was worth all the difficulty.  Even worth owing Nate a favor.  Not that he minded owing Nate.  Nate was an okay guy to owe.    Besides, his requests were usually a lot of fun.

Hearing Aimee say she was wrong felt good.  Not that she was wrong, but that she was finally okay enough to say it.  She was healing.

But if she thought the crew were his family, she was crazy.  He didn’t have a family.  

Still, he would miss Aimee.

Because he didn’t have a family.

Even if he wanted one.

000

Four years later:

“He’s one of the guys that kept me from falling all the way down.  And now I’m asking the other guy to understand why I’m gonna help him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end quote is from Season 5, The French Connection


	4. Relational

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliot can't believe the things he does for this new crew. He can't believe why he does it either.
> 
> Or maybe he can

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag for the Miracle job from Eliot's perspective

One of the things about this crew that Eliot was learning was that they were very relational.  Last night, for example, he had to watch “Death of a Salesman”.  He had to go because Sophie had looked at each of them with a brilliant grin that only a monster would deny.  And because Parker looked at him in utter confusion asking why someone would kill a salesman  And because Nate swore that if Hardison and Eliot didn’t come, the next con he would switch their usual jobs.  And because Hardison talked his ear off until he agreed to come.

Bloody hell, this was why he never got attached to a crew before.  He was sitting through one of the worst plays in his opinion because he was convinced to, without a single use of force or payment.  About halfway through Willy’s scene with Barnaby or whatever the kid’s name is, Eliot lets his mind slide into survival mode.  Its the mode he went into when he had to withstand non-lethal torture for a determined amount of time.  A type of meditation that allowed him to be aware of his surroundings.  Enough to know that Parker was completely horrified by the characters until the funeral and Hardison was twitching in his seat (Nate made sure he left his phone in the car).  He had already scouted all possible exits and entrances and noted with resign that there were no dangerous men he could study in the audience.

When it was finally over, Eliot tried to escape without the talking part of the event.  He succeeded in avoiding Sophie, by virtue that she was changing.  He wasn’t so successful with Parker, who appeared on his car when he made it two blocks away.  She made him stop to answer questions about the storyline, which he had researched enough to be able to follow.  It was close to 2am before he’d satisfied her curiosity and could head to his bed for the night.

The next morning he was just hanging up his coat when Sophie strolled in.  Hurriedly he ducked into the kitchenette, hopefully to find back-up.  Or a sacrificial lamb.  

He found Hardison.  

Not that the geek was helpful.  He knew not to tell Sophie the truth,  _thank you for the suggestion Hardison!_ , he wasn’t an idiot.  Luckily for Sophie’s thrilled smile, and their sanity, Parker popped up with the best compliment.  Sophie could spot a fib, but Parker’s view of awesome was skewed enough that things that weren’t awesome she sometimes genuinely thought were, awesome that is.  They really should have known to stop her before she elaborated, but Sophie turned back to them and suddenly there was other things on their mind.  Like making a comment on the play.

Luckily Hardison was born babbling.

Eliot didn’t have to say anything but agree with the geek.  He shared a horrified look with Parker before Hardison asked if he had been in worse situations.  Thinking back to what he had used to survive that night and the flashbacks it had brought of Shanghai, no, he hadn’t.  At least in his nightmares, he could fight and hate his enemies.  He  _liked_ Sophie.

000

He had known he would need to help the crew.  Even on an emotional level, he was the most normal.  Wasn’t that a kick in the pants.

But Nate wasn’t the one he thought he would need to help.  When Sophie said “ex-wife” he knew that wasn’t true.  Even being in the church was sending Nate back.  A friend from seminary school, a plea by his ex-wife.  Eliot could see where this was going.  They were going to help Nate.

God, he was so nervous trying to convince them to take the case.  Usually, he just introduced the client, but this case, with this problem, he needed them to take it.

Eliot always helped his crew while he ran with them.  Nate was a big boy, he could take care of himself.  

But to save a church?  Eliot remembered that teenager with god in his heart going off to save the country.  He may not have seen him recently, but he remembered what god used to mean to him.

Apparently what god meant to Nate too.

The man spent half the con trying to defend his life choices to his friend, but Eliot could see that while Father Paul was struggling with what Nate was actually doing, he was one of Nate’s best friends.  When he looked at Nate, he was annoyed at what Nate had done to Father Paul’s life, but he never was disgusted with what Nate was doing in general.

A true friend.

Eliot had no problem helping Nate keep one of those.

000

Helping Hardison was normal.  He was a geek.  He was squishy.  That meant he needed his type of protection.  That was easy.  But the kid was like 24.  He needed get out from behind his computer.

When Nate asked them to find the gangbangers behind the knock down, it was perfect timing.  Usually Hardison would simply sit behind his computer and listen as Eliot went to interrogate, but this time, Eliot wanted him out there.  He also wanted to see what the kid would do outside his element, and a bunch of wannabe punks?  Safest danger Eliot could place Hardison in.

Hardison babbled when nervous.  The hitter knew that, but somehow Eliot was going to figure out a way to convey when Eliot wanted him to shut up, and when Eliot needed him to shut up.  Eliot knew he’d have to work on that, find an authoritative voice or something.

But later, when there weren’t four guys following them.

Asking the punks the questions went smoothly.  It was always amusing when guys kept a gun pointed at their junk  _and_ got within reach of an enemy.  

When his buddy pulled another, it was a chance to teach Hardison and to see what the kid thought of guns.  It had his attention.  Good!  His stutter was minimal though.  Enough to show he did care about Eliot’s safety and didn’t like the whole gun equal bad thing.  Not enough that he wasn’t thinking though.

After Eliot’s lesson to both Hardison and the punk, he asked the question again.  Hardison's big brain was actually still very much online.  He put together the other punks stance, their facial expressions and what Nate said about the shoulder.  He even did a solid leg shoot shoulder shove into the injured shoulder.

He also seemed to have no problem with a gun pointed at the gang banger, even when an ally wasn’t holding it.  That meant the kid only was nervous when the gun was pointed at someone he didn’t want hurt.  A weakness, but a workable one.  And he hadn’t lost his mind to panic, he trusted Eliot to maintain control of the environment.

He even kept track of the information they needed.  Eliot could work with that.  Even if the kid did act like a puppy looking for praise.  Hardison was a good geek who was getting very attached to Eliot.  

The kid was growing on him too.

000

Parker was easily the one Eliot thought about helping the most.  She was also the easiest one to help, because she asked when she needed to ask.  She wasn’t shy about asking questions and she rarely got into something she couldn’t extract herself from on her own, if the need presented itself.

She also was hysterical.  Her sense of humor was a dark, halfway childlike expression of her adrenaline junkie personality.  

“Attention must be paid!”

And her smile when Eliot dumped the assistant on his ass, was fleeting and genuine.  And she gave the mark caffeine and speed.  She rocked!  And making Father Paul pregnant was great!

Asking if Santa Claus had a church though?  At first he thought she was joking.  St Nicholas wasn’t Santa Claus.

The second time Parker mentioned it, they all told her the man wasn’t Santa.  She just glared at them though.  

Oh hell, she actually believed in Santa.

He grabbed her to one side while they were waiting for Sophie to set up the mark and Nate to escape his friend.  He wanted to know what she believed.

She didn’t believe in the Christmas delivery guy story, giving toys to kids.  She believed in the magical elf, the man who actually knew all the kids.  Kids who didn’t get a visit from Santa were kids who didn’t have an address and didn’t want toys.  She did believe he knew about them though.  That he knew she existed even when no one else cared.  

She didn’t say that last part, but Eliot could add.

At the end of the con, he realized he couldn’t break her belief.  Far from destroying her belief that St Nicholas was Santa, Sophie’s explanation only enhanced the thief’s belief.

Santa Claus was the patron Saint of Thieves.

000

He heard Father Paul’s last comments to Nate.  He had to agree, this entire job was a miracle.  Eliot was getting attached to four people who needed him.  Not for money or fear, but him.

Five thieves just saved a church.

It was a miracle.


	5. With Them, Maybe its not a Weakness.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliot has a weakness that he tries his best to hide. Sometimes he can't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The bank shot job

One of the more important skills for a fighter is the ability to understand weakness.  Weakness, by definition is a quality or feature regarded as a disadvantage or fault.  That wasn’t Eliot’s definition.  It wasn’t the definition he was taught.  

Weakness was a trait that made you predictable.  Send a fist flying at a man’s face, they will jerk back.  Very predictable, and thus a weakness.  If you know what someone is going to do before they do it, you can use their actions to your advantage.  

Eliot was used to looking for his own weaknesses.  He had a few, soft spot for a country accent, much more right handed than left handed and a few others he kept a tight lid on.  But he had one very large weakness that he had never figured out how to keep nailed down.

He protected.

When push came to shove, Eliot was a protector, not a hitter.  He had forced himself into that mold for the government by creating the mindset that he  _ was _ protecting.  He was protecting Americans.  When that was blown out of the water and he worked for Damien, he tried to not think about it.  He protected Damien.  Until he couldn’t.

So he hid the protective instinct under harsh eyes and harsh stares.   He buried the rumors under a deadly reputation and quick action.  Even Damien seemed to think he’d outgrown it at one point. 

Then he’d met this crew.

This fucking bunch of whackos.

They needed protection like you wouldn’t believe.  

Not to survive.  They could survive on their own.  They had for years.  No, but to live, to really be alive, they needed protection.  And darn it all, if he wasn’t getting attached to the idea of protecting them.

He did a pretty good job of focusing the protection thing on their clients.  Emotional support he could disguise as conversation.  Physical support was his job.  Between those two he could see himself satisfied.

When Jose DelGado came in about his 16-year-old daughter being raped and murdered, it wasn’t even a question.  He couldn’t protect the girl anymore, but he could protect her memory, her family.

Bankrupting the guy responsible wasn’t enough for the hitter, but in this group it was all they could pull off.  And the others didn’t need to know how much restraint it took to not all out kill the man.  It wouldn’t meet Nate’s requirements for justice.

Then he heard the situation in the bank go sour.

Nate and Sophie inside and Parker and Hardison right outside.  At least he could trust Nate to protect Sophie until he got there.  If he could get inside the bank, he knew he could protect Nate.

Nate’s report of the situation was comforting.  Nate and Sophie were in minimal danger as long as something else kept the bank robbers occupied.  He forced himself to ask Nate if he needed to come into the situation.  Nate was the mastermind of this job.

When Nate said wait, he had to swallow his worry.  It was his call.  He had to trust Nate to let him protect when it was needed.  He had learned over the last 2 months that he could trust Nate.

He played his role in support for Hardison and Parker.  Held onto the info, investigated the scene of the family home, all those extra details the others couldn’t do under the eyes of cops and robbers.  Turned out these guys needed help too.  It just figures!  Only Nate could find clients in the middle of another job.  He was starting to get the feeling a quarter of their clients were going to be spontaneous like this.

At least he got to punch someone.  Once the meth-heads showed up at least.  The situation went from bad to worse while he was waiting for the dickheads.  Nate and Sophie were blown and here he was waiting for these pissants in the middle of a dirt road.

That was hard.  

Beating the crap out of these guys made him feel a bit better.  Especially when he saved Mrs Clark.  

Hardison and Parker had a good handle on things when he got back.  Although the plan put Hardison in danger, it also got Eliot in quickly.  He loved stealing ambulances, they were fun to drive.

Driving away, stitching up Nate, he felt his muscles relax.  His crew was safe and present.  He had protected them.  He had been able to be the protection they needed.  They had let him be that protection as needed.

He could see that he had a weakness.

But with this group, they made it a strength.


	6. A Little More than a Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When was the last time a job actually felt good? Eliot couldn't even remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episode Tag for the Stork Job

Eliot winced as he resettled.  He had the face curtesy of Lina and Jana.  They had a mean right hook.  It was a decent cover until his ribs unbruised enough to not effect his stance when not fighting.  He didn’t want his crew looking into it.  It wasn’t their fight.  Even if those bastards tried to make it their fight.  They’d been told to get him to cooperate.  If money wouldn’t pull him away from his current employer, then they were ordered to use his current employer against him.

No way was he putting his crew in that kind of danger.  They were his to protect.

Luckily, last night was one of the nights Hardison and Nate were NOT watching him at all.  He just had to keep Hardison from getting curious.  Kid was way too curious for his own damn good!

Thankfully, the kid was distracting everyone.  Unfortunately, this may be the job that broke him from the crew.  He wasn’t going after a kid.  Not again.  He had fought hard to get away from Damien, paid for the return of his soul with blood and pain, he was NOT going back on that!

Then Parker spoke.

When he asked for verification that the kid was an orphan, that they weren’t tearing apart one family to help another, Parker answered.

Parker rarely spoke much during these briefings.  Nate just seemed to know what information Parker would have when it was needed.  He’d ask if the others needed it.

But when she spoke of hoarding food, of being taken away, of flinching, she wasn’t recalling facts.  Eliot saw Hardison look at her and knew Hardison had seen it too. Hardison understood her tone of voice and the way she curled in on herself as she explained.  Eliot wondered when she had stopped doing all those things.  He wondered if she still did those things.  If she still remembered what made her do those things.

Hardison came to her rescue to keep attention off her.  Eliot helped as Parker blank faced the rest of the meeting.  Her eyes were cycling between focused on the screen and internally.  She was clearly paying attention, but Eliot and Hardison kept the meeting from focusing on her.

And going to Belgrade removed Hardison from the lure of looking into Eliot’s evening activities.

000

He should have stayed and talked to Parker.  They had split after the meeting, partially to give her time to recoop, but he should have checked in to see where her head was at.  They didn't get a chance enroute to Belgrade.  While at the party, she was way too sensitive.  She usually understood his sense of humor, even if she didn’t do the flirting thing.

He tried to focus on Hardison complaining both about Nate and Sophie and about someone flirting with Parker.  Plus Sophie thought he needed help to pick up a girl.

Maybe he did, but she didn’t have to hand feed him!

And Hardison was funny!  He must have read Parker better than Eliot, because Parker didn’t really go apeshit until Hardison actually stopped his commenting on the mark.  Hardison was good at that.  He didn’t comment on Parker’s, or Eliot's, conversation.  Eliot gracefully accepted Sophie’s assistance once his mark sneered at his technique.  He wouldn’t want to pick up this woman, she’s nothing like the type he’s usually attracted to.  Hardison doesn’t comment though.  Nor on Parker using sleeping as a hobby or diamonds as a tourist attraction.

Hardison does distract Nate and Sophie when they get way off target.   _ This _ is why Eliot at least, likes them on the grift.

When Parker’s mark started to get hot is when she stabbed him.  He’d have to watch out for that in the future.  At least Parker can take care of herself, even in a foreign country.  Parker had been in most countries for one job for another so he could be comfortable in her ability to safely get somewhere to hole up.  

At least that would have been smart, but no the crazy thief shows back up with the crew.  If they were any other crew, she could be hurt or dead.  He hoped she didn’t always trust her crew this much.

000

She doesn’t stay with the crew that night in the hotel.  He doesn’t blame her.  His ears were still ringing from the rant Nate gave.  Hardison eventually distracted him with the movie issue and Parker hightailed out the window.  She didn’t reappear until the next morning.  Since Eliot could see that she wasn’t all together, he decided to give Hardison space so he could talk to her.  Hardison was good at that.  Sometimes better than Sophie even.  Hardison had this way of being completely non-threatening.  He barely made Eliot’s alarms go off and he was the only one here who  _ could _ find out things Eliot didn’t want known.

After Eliot made Hardison uninteresting to Irena, even disliked, he left the the thief in Hardison’s hands.  

Then Hardison had to go and make this worse.

“A little more than a team.”

Dammit Hardison!

Trusting a crew like that could get her killed, if it wasn’t them!  He had to interrupt before that got further.  He stayed near Parker long enough to re-assure himself of Parker’s comfort with him as the team’s hitter, before Sophie pulled her freaking actress fantasy stunt.  Hardison was right, he, and Nate, should have seen that coming.

He let Nate handle that as he continued to watch out for Parker.  Though he was interested to see what Nate was planning to tell Sophie, since none of them had the strength to say what they were really thinking about her acting skills.  Nate bailed too.  They were doing the scene.  Dammit, Eliot was running with a crew of complete nutjobs!

000

He wasn’t comfortable with Parker’s face when she returned from the orphanage.  All things considered, he was glad Hardison had gone with her.  She had obviously taken it bad.  They’d taken their coms out when she got back in the car, but they’d taken an extra half hour to get back.  Eliot wasn’t sure what was said, but they’d stopped along the waterfront.  Eliot had been halfway out the door to check on them when they turned onto the street.

He had heard over the coms that finding the kids had hit even Hardison hard.  Originally he had gone to support Parker, or to support Nate, to make sure she didn’t do anything stupid.  Not that he could have prevented  _ that _ .  

When they discussed not doing anything about the other orphans, Hardison protested.  When Parker didn’t agree, Eliot could see Hardison’s heart breaking in his eyes.  Dammit Hardison, he got emotionally attached to them.  He could see Hardison steadying his breath.  He didn’t believe Nate when he promised to come back.  One problem at a time.

ELiot tried to reinforce that they would be back, they wouldn’t leave the kids here.  Eliot wouldn’t leave the kids here.  

Parker was the one who was having the hard time now.

000

When Eliot followed Hardison after the meeting, he expected him to be on his computer, looking stuff up or something, but the kid was just staring at a packet of gummy frogs he’d brought with him.  He knew the kid was upset.  Hardison hadn’t even looked at Parker when he’d stormed off after the meeting.

Eliot grabbed a seat next to him.

“Hey.”

Hardison didn’t really acknowledge him.  He just kept looking at the package of gummi frogs.

“They going to get eaten anytime soon?”

He chortled.

“Inspiration.”  Hardison’s comment threw him.

“What?”

“They’re for inspiration.”  Hardison seemed to take a deep breath.  “Nana gave them to me when I was a kid when she told me to do something with my skills.  They help me think.”

“You use non-food candy to help you think?!?”

“Hey, don’t dis the gummy frogs.”  Hardison smirked at him for a moment before returning to look at the candy.  “She didn’t mean that.  She doesn’t think we should leave them here.  She does care about them.”

Hardison’s hand shakes slightly and Eliot curses to himself.  He should have noticed earlier, the kid had been in the system.  Parker wasn’t the only one with experience in the foster system.  Hardison’s was just so different, so much better, that he didn’t need to think about it, to bring it up.  To him, his Nana  _ was _ his family.  

“We will be back, Hardison.  One problem at a time, but we will be back.”

I promise.

000

He should have listened to Hardison.  Turned out the kid was right about Parker.  He made a mental note to always follow Hardison’s lead on Parker, he read her well.

He’d taken his attention off Parker while he enjoyed the feeling of reuniting a kid with people that loved him.  Of helping the kid.  It felt like washing another stain off his hands of all those kids he hadn’t helped.  Of all the kids who had looked up at him in fear.  This one he could protect.

When the new parents thanked them for helping Luka, he wanted to thank the couple.  Because they loved the kid who wasn’t theirs.  Except now he was.  And Eliot could see just how much this job was helping him.  He was starting to like his job.

He couldn’t remember the last time that had happened.

Of course, Nate was the first to really notice the absence.  Eliot felt his heart leap to his throat when he realized not only was she not here, but her earbud as out.  Thank god Hardison had predicted her well.  But dammit she was going into a volatile situation without any kind of back-up.  He had to get there!

000

He hadn’t got to hit someone the entire time they were here, so when Nate told him to find the guards and deal with them, he smiled.  Taking out Parker’s history on a guard was very theraputic for him.  Almost enough that when he saw Parker leading a dozen kids into the bus, he didn’t glare at her.

He and Nate had taken care of the guns and Hardison dealt with the warehouse.  He had to admit Hardison made awesome explosions.

He hadn’t felt this good after a job in years.  Nate had a contact in the WHO and Hardison dealt with Irena.  He had thought saving Luka felt good but this, a group of kids.  Getting them ice cream was the most fun he had had with kids since he was 16.   He had helped save more than a dozen kids just by following Nate’s lead, Parker’s crazy, Sophie’s skills and Hardison’s heart.  

He rescued Nate from Sophie as a thank you, even if he didn’t appreciate it.

Because this?  This he could get behind.  Because Hardison was right.  

A little more than a team.


	7. This is Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hardison's thoughts throughout the Wedding job

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did this one from Hardison's perspective. Eliot just was too hard to write, since he hid in the kitchen most of the episode. Its stream of conscious, so you will want to know the episode before you read this.

Sophie’s friend is interesting.  Her daughter is a sweetie.  He wasn’t sure what Nate will think of Sophie setting this up, but even Eliot had melted when those little girl eyes met his.  Alec decided to hang back.  Parker and Eliot were focused on Teresa, so he would waylay Nate when he came in.  Get a read on how he was going to take this change of plans.

It was good thing he did, because Nate’s response was to try to call them to order.  Alec wanted to chuckle at that.  Nate thought he could call the greatest grifter, hitter and thief to order.  And he wasn’t no underling, nuh uh.  Might as well try to dictate Christmas holiday to them.

Still, he had done what he could.  He saw Eliot watch Nate circle the room to sit.  The hitter kept looking between Nate and Teresa.  To be fair, Eliot read people faster than anyone Alec had ever met.  Even with that, he couldn’t believe Nate!  He started the damn walk away almost immediately.  Even Eliot wasn’t happy about that.  Come on!  Sophie did a nice save and Teresa wasn’t asking for the moon.  Nate just brushed her off.  Of course she understood.  She understood all right.  She had probably heard this response from everyone she’d gone to.

Alec was glad Eliot kept quiet, because a fight with Nate wasn’t what they needed here.  

Apparently, her daughter’s location was in question though.  Alec had to think back, since at the time, he was trying to plan his intervention with Nate.  He remembered Parker’s eyes lighting up as the little one bounced around the room.

Finding them involved in what was probably a childhood game for Parker was heart melting.  Parker looked like she was having so much fun.  But maybe not the thing Teresa wanted to see her daughter learning.

000

The FBI were adorable.  Even Sophie called them cute.  But it did give them a perfect in.  Alec had been waiting to use his FBI credentials.  He loved the FBI.  They were just so much fun to mess with!  Still, for a mob job, better to have some help.  Especially with how much convincing it took to get Nate on board.

-Flashback-

They were trying to convince Nate the wrong way.  Nate’s reaction to the mob was naive.  Law-enforcement naive.  Alec shot Eliot a look as Nate reminds them that this was a person who was both dangerous and local.  Eliot seemed to have issues with that.  Whether it was because he was the one who would have to deal with the danger, or because  _ he _ was all those things was unknown.

-End Flashback-

McSweeten was instantly captivated by Parker.  They needed to lift a badge so he left her to it, but he had to bite back a smile at Parker’s question about kevlar.  Turned out Alec had a lot of practice while in the van on biting back laughter.  They had one bug and it was in the barbecue.  No wonder Mascone had never got caught.  He was going to have to help them out.  A little geek magic to clear up the signal and move it away from com frequency.  He slipped when he called it baby monitoring frequency, but they just rolled with it and he almost lost it right there.

Of course, as soon as someone tossed on some ribs, their bug was melting into a pile of metal and plastic, but hopefully this wouldn’t be for long.

He heard Eliot confirm receipt of the scan over his ear bud.  Now he just had to place his picture over McSweeten's.  Alec had showed him how to do it six times before they arrived.

How the most effective hitter in the world could not understand basic computer skills was beyond Alec.  The first two times he showed Eliot was when they were planning it, but he had found the hitter practicing on his own after and had tried to break it down into even easier steps.  He’d even written a program that would take the scan from his signal, open it and Eliot’s head shot in the program.  So all he had to do was click and drag it into place.

Baby steps.

He programmed the drive to look for audio files and copy them on its own.  As long as it was plugged in and the computer was on, Eliot shouldn’t have to do anything.  Which was what he was reassuring Eliot of after he finished guiding him to the right room.  He wouldn’t make Eliot type anything yet.  It was really adorable to see something Eliot needed help on and get flustered and defensive even though he probably genuinely wanted to learn it.

Baby steps.

Of course, he hadn’t counted on the FBI using tapes.  At least Eliot didn’t have to type nothing.  All he had to do was walk out.  Now why did he have to solve that issue, Eliot was the hitter.  

Awww, helpless hitter thinks threatening a guy several blocks away while locked in a federal building was going to work.  It’s really adorable if it didn’t make Alec so exasperated.  Fine!  Eliot wanted help, he’d help.

Complain about the tapes, complain about the fire alarms, complain, complain, Eliot’s never happy.

Neither is Alec.  He is so writing a program to listen to the headphone jack on a walkman to rip tapes to a computer.  That was the most boring 37 hours of his life even at double speed.

Then they ask to crack the Caymans.  Okay, maybe they haven’t met a guy Eliot can’t fight or a vault Parker can’t crack, but the Cayman banks  are not something you try to crack in a single week.  They haven’t seen sass.  Maybe next time Eliot should listen to the walkman.  See how they like that.

Apparently Sophie would like to listen to it.  They were fighting over a wedding and Sophie found it enjoyable.  Alec was more with Eliot, opera is about booking it unless there is awesome music involved.  Apparently Nate heard “invititation” in that.  He was running with some odd people.

000

When they were handing out tasks Alec grabbed the flowers and the music.  The flowers because then he could wander unhindered to place bugs.  The music, because come on.  He was all down with today’s music.  I mean Nate and Parker didn’t know good music unless it was stolen and Sophie thought a marriage fight was entertaining.  Nuh uh, not happening.  Plus it gave him a computer nearby with little to no questions.  He thought he’d have to fight Eliot for the music, but he took the cook.  Said he had some experience with food.

Eliot really did get into the cook role.  Alec could hear him talking with Nate over the coms.  He was actually trying to feed 200 people.  It was a grift.  

But, here’s the thing.

Eliot sounded excited.

Really excited.  Not like sarcastic excited that Alec had heard, or the pleased look when he did a good job and had endorphin's running through his system.  He sounded like a proud kid, trying to show his father what an amazing job he was doing and his father wasn’t showing the proper enthusiasm.  Alec wasn’t sure if Nate picked up on it, but the fact that Eliot displayed how to cut an onion  _ before _ how to cut through people was telling.  Everything really was about context.

Mrs Bitch-one herself was front row to the hitter-turned-cook's first masterpiece.  When she spit it out, Alec wondered what kept Eliot from killing her “accidentally”.  He probably thought pulling one over on her husband was a good payback.  Or, or Nate did something to make him mutter the “I know” over the coms.

Alec tried to ignore the irritated and disappointed sigh he probably wasn’t supposed to hear over coms as he planted the last of the bugs and Sophie responded to Mrs Bitch-one screaming in the bridemaid’s room.

Apparently Mrs Bitch-one connected with Parker’s odd honesty.  He wasn’t sure that was a good thing.

He was distracted from listening to Parker destroy that poor girl’s self-esteem by Nate’s truly disgusting talk with Mascone himself and the phone call he was supposed to be hacking.

000

The topic of weddings has an interesting effect on people, Alec had discovered over the years.  For some reason, except Parker, it made people think about their life choices to an extreme.  Everyone has feelings about weddings.

Nate’s explanation about a wedding being a giant con was hysterical.  Especially while he was standing behind Sophie.  It’s a giant con?  Really Nate?  Seriously?  What a idiot.  Alec had to stuff a slice of pizza in his mouth to prevent himself from laughing.  It didn’t stop Eliot and Parker though.  Nate was so riled up, it was funny.

And his goofy smile when Sophie called him romantic was even better.

When he saw Eliot in the kitchen later he thought he could get a good laugh out of it.  It was just a piece of paper and a whole lot of party.  As far as he was concerned by the time you got married, the damn paper shouldn’t change things anyway.  

Eliot was supposed to agree.  Alec was certain he’d never been married.  He’d done that much background on the man at least.  But when he hesitated to say he’d never come close, Alec knew that was a lie.  He wasn’t expecting a name, that would have been too dangerous information for him to give out.  It was a weakness someone could exploit.

When he’d heard she’d married someone else, he was expecting to hear how Eliot had busted heads to make sure she was treated right.  He’d showed up at their wedding and made quite the scene.  Real cinematic and heroic only for the heroine to be a bitch and turn him down flat.  Alec could totally get behind doing a bit of computer magic to mess with the shrew.

“I liberated Croatia.”

Damn.  He really loved the girl.  He said something to end the conversation until he was sure Eliot was out of the room, probably to lick his wounds a moment.  Eliot was in love.  Maybe still in love.  The wedding would have only been a piece of paper to him, because even though he may not be _in_ love with her now, he still loved her.

000

Alec and Eliot really needed to teach Parker about nudity and its effects on others beyond the grift.  Walking in on her dressing was certainly seared into his mind for the near future.  He liked her better in black and the skirt hid her legs, but damn.  Her back was a long creamy skin of strength and the bust showed off her amazing shoulders.  He tried to distract himself by asking what she was thinking.  He really needed another way to distract himself, because her thoughts were amazing.  Far from keeping sexiness out of his mind, each time she showed that she wasn’t one of those girly girls, but Parker was like another ping on his radar of "this gal is awesome".

With a bit of his tech to bring the dress back to her passion of the heist, she looked perfect.  Mrs Bitch-one interrupted Alec feeling Parker’s bare shoulders beneath his fingers.  Now that was distracting, good thing Parker usually wore a lot more than this around the crew.

He had to remember he was going for a slightly gay man to fit the flowers and music DJ.  He left Parker to her part and finished the bugs and equipment set up.  He was about to review the playlist when Nate called a group meeting and asked him to run a face.

He also had to remind Sophie to turn off her com before she starts ranting next time.

The butcher of Kiev.

Fuck, that was not good, he wasn’t going up against no butcher.  And if the people of Kiev called him a butcher, he was one.  Alec didn’t even want to meet the baker or the candlestick maker and here was the butcher.

Eliot’s interest in cooking actually over-rode his interest in fighting when he asked if the butcher had brought the lamb chops.  Alec was impressed.  He knocked cooking further up Eliot’s list in his mind before clarifying Parker’s comment.  Nate’s question had him re-shuffling his firewalls around Eliot.  Unlike Parker and Sophie, Eliot played himself on most of his jobs over the years and thus was recognizable.  And Unlike Parker and Alec, being seen hadn’t been a concern for him.

Eliot’s face showed how likely it was that their last meeting was so not a walk in the park.  The fact that the man was still in the business after tangling with Eliot spoke to his ability alone.

He understood this was a problem, one he’d cover in future jobs, but this job needed a quick patch and Nate attacking him was not helping.  And they had called him on  _ his _ sass earlier?  It wasn’t his job to do all the background.  Except apparently it was.  He should have known the FBI didn’t do a good background.

Luckily the music interrupted Sophie and Nate’s argument.  Alec met Eliot’s eyes when the others dispersed.  He could tell Eliot wasn’t happy about this.  He was their front line.  He shouldn’t be getting them into danger, he was supposed to keep them out of it.  Alec vowed to himself to do a better job in the future to help with that.

Until then he had to sit through Nate trying to give a lecture to Mascone and Sophie in the same breath.

“I mean, is it running around rooftops in Paris?  No no It's pushing a cart around Home Depot. That's what it is, it's hard work. Hard, hard, hard, hard work, people.”

_ Is this about a fear of the russian mob or fear of intimacy? _

“You know, some people don't understand how hard a real relationship can be. And some people should consider that other people, you know, they don't, uh, maybe they need a little time, you know, before they start dating some people again and-and-and start committing and-and-and-and-”

_ Listen, I made a promise to my friend Teresa and I’m not gonna let her down. And that bride in there--what's her name--I'm not gonna let her down, either _

“Maria, despite all the fear and doubt that life brings, Adam, when he looks at you, Maria, you know, he knows that you have made him a better man, a better version of himself.  And now that he's known you, he can never go back. And, Maria, you know that, when you look at Adam, yes, you know you've made him a better man and that he should probably just give up and agree with you.”

Alec had to hand it to Nate.  He knew how to dig himself out of a hole.  Sophie was turning up the waterworks.  Apparently Nate wasn’t as unaware of her as they thought.

Alec turned his attention to Mascone’s movements.  Parker was still in the screening room to his knowledge since Eliot was poaching peaches.  _ Emeril _ , he had to know where Parker learned that reference.

He could hear Parker’s voice treble with uncertainty as Eliot told her to get out of there.  She must have hidden because Mascone’s conversation switched to Parker’s com.  Nate’s reassurance wasn’t terribly reassuring as Alec set the recording up to send to the FBI’s receivers as Mascone practically admitted to the murder.

Kitchen bugs told him Eliot was dealing with others and Alec let Parker know she needed to grift her way out before switching his attention back to Eliot to see if he needed to provide back up in some way.  The memory of last time Eliot fought the butcher of Kiev made him lose his smile, he really didn’t want another one of those fights.

Unfortunately all he could really do was make sure the rest of the group stayed out of Eliot’s way and didn’t need him while he finished a fight that was started years ago.

Since Eliot was busy he had to come up with another way to get rid of Sergie.  Luckily he was the DJ.  Crowds were easy to control and awesome protection.  Thank god for wedding traditions.

When he heard the Butcher cry about being burned, Alec prayed he had’t turned on the burners, setting the house on fire wasn't in the plan, but a moment later he was talking about lemon juice and killing with an appetizer and Alec let out a sigh of relief.  

Of course, he attention is immediately pulled to Parker and the idea that they going to have sex.  This somehow distracted him enough that he misses a conversation between Eliot and Nate, but he ends the wedding with a weather report.  He does enjoy a vicar confronting Sergie and then Mascone’s man asking for his denomination.

He’s impressed Eliot is as exhausted as he is when they get to the kitchen.  Though running after the married couple would account for that.  

And Nate solved his problem with hacking the Caymans.  So that's Good.  He got to get his job done while eating some truly delicious food.

Damn, if Eliot is this good a cook, he can cook for them anytime he wants.

And when he says that, Eliot’s face lights up like a Christmas tree.  Later, when Eliot starts cooking for the meal with Teresa, Alec pokes his head in to see a content look on his face.  He isn’t used to seeing Eliot so enjoying himself.  He would have to remember that.

Each of them do their part to celebrate the job done.  Nate and Sophie decorate the restaurant.  Eliot cooks the dinner.  Parker snatches up the daughter and tickles her.

And Alec brings up the footage of Mascone’s arrest and his potential release.  

The smile on that little girl’s face when her mother said her father was coming home was worth more than all the latinum in the quadrant.

Eliot’s smile as he passed out the food he’d slaved over.  Parker’s delight as the little girl in her lap.  Sophie’s laughter at Parker’s comments.  Nate's pleasure at helping someone.  All the noise of conversation and cooperation.

A toast for all of them.  He remembered what his Nana taught him when he first came to live with her.  The thing most of this group didn’t have.

This was family.   



	8. Its not just about Computers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were going to kill Hardison. Except when they weren't

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stream of consciousness for Eliot in the Mile High Job

They were going to kill Hardison.

Thirty floors of stairs was way past his normal workout.  And he had completed his light workout today already.  At least it was within his ability though.  Parker was looking a bit winded and Nate was really feeling it.  

Parker got them past the doors, but she was having a lot of fun glaring at the computer.

By the time Hardison got on the coms even Eliot was ready to strangle the geek.  At least the kid knew to be quiet when he shushed the hacker.  The big man himself was coming to the office they were in with no exits and very few hiding spots for 3 people.  

Parker got caught in the actual office.  At least she didn’t sound as frantic as she did on that Mascone case.  Of all of them, she had the best chance of getting out of there without being seen.  

He was paying attention and he still didn’t catch how she did that.

000

Luckily Hardison was on top of his game.  When they pulled their apare IDs out, Nate and Sophie paired up, and wasn’t that a recipe for entertainment.  That was further proved when their bags pinged at security.  Dominatrix was a hysterical look on Sophie.  Partially because Nate was a bit whipped already.

Eliot pulled out a badge.  He couldn’t remember why he had an air marshal badge in his go pack, but it worked out.  Likely, Hardison put it there in his on-going project to give them as may options in IDs as possible.  Plus the other two would make for lousy air marshals.

A quick drop and roll gave Parker a uniform.  Didn't even hurt.  It was cute how Sophie asked about that knowledge.  That date had been a cute flight attendant too.  Marci from Paris, France to Tampa, Florida.  He had made a rough flight feel good and when they landed, she returned the favor.

Eliot found his seat and settled in to listen to Parker grift her way into the flight attendant’s job.  Giving Becky a promotion was the least they could do for scaring her about her cat.  

And he had to admit, Parker’s safety briefing was a great deal more interesting then they normally are.

000

The flight started off with Parker starting her job.  Thanks to Hardison, they all got to listen to it.  Hardison must have taken the same lessons in making friends, because his offended babble was a mirror to her adoption of the safety readings.

Sometimes he forgot that as crazy as Parker was, she was actually really good at what she did.  Cash would be a stupid way to move that much money.  

He kept the boredom of searching the bags by listening to Parker rationalize fear of flying.  That and Nate getting whipped by Sophie.

000

Of course while they found millions of dollars of merchandise, they learn that Hardison flaked to play a game.  Eliot was going to kill him.

He did find the marks.  One was the passenger Parker had been harassing.  Turned out she wasn’t a mark but a target.  Eliot collected her just as she was starting that “lose it” thing Parker warned them about.

She knew about the bribes, but she was too new to understand what she knew.  When Nate asked how Eliot would do kill her, he didn’t even have to think.  He’d been part of this type of hit before.  Mark in transit had lousy security.  Sophie helped get the hitter walking past the bathroom.  Eliot had never fought a knife in a plane stall, but Erlick was a pro and they needed the surprise.  Parker covered for him in clean up as he slipped away.

He would miss having the back up when he left this crew.  Even if he did want to strangle them half the time.  “ _ The guy we just took out _ ”  Really!  

Of course, no sooner had he knocked the man out, than Nate wanted him awake to ask a question.  Because apparently the mark was very murderous.  He realized what he was saying just as Sophie repeated it.  He had his crew on a plane that was targeted.  Now was a time for Nate to pull a rabbit out of his hat.

Thankfully Parker had an electric screwdriver, but there was nothing in the bags.  Eliot listened as Hardison flirted with Parker over the coms as he hacked the plane.  The flirting turned down as Hardison figured out what was going on.

“Uh guys.”

Eliot sincerely hoped he never heard Parker say that again.  He got Nate into the cockpit just as the plane nose dived.

“Auto pilot’s disengaged itself, we’re losing altitude.”  Eliot grabbed the chair as half the alarms in front of him went off.  

Nate kept his cool as he talked to the pilots and the plane’s altitude kept dropping.

“Hardison we need you!”

Eliot could hear Hardison barely over all the beeping around him as Nate coaxed him out of a babble spiral and save their asses.  Parker’s vote of exasperated confidence was the last thing needed for Hardison to get his butt in gear.

“Niner thousand.”

Eliot could hear himself reaching out for a god he didn’t believe in anymore as Hardison countered the virus.  

“Eight thousand.”

He had to hold it together long enough so they could do their part when Hardison did his.  

“Seven thousand.”

He could hear Parker ready to follow Hardison’s lead.

“Six thousand.”

He listened as Hardison and Nate called for a reset.  Computer was clean.

“Five thousand feet.”

The pilot went through his switches even as the room shook apart around them.

“Four thousand.”

Nate gripped the back of the seat and the pilot regained control.

“Thirty-five hundred.”

“Dive’s too steep.  We’re going to have to set down.  Find me a runway.”

It was time to find a seat and hang on.  He heard Nate check in with Sophie and he found himself listening hard to hear Hardison and Parker as the plane set down.  

000

They all celebrated as the landed.  

Hugs all around, death makes for fast friends.

Unfortunately, they needed to get safe.  Hardison was in the GeneGrow building and Marissa was still on this plane.  Eliot listened close to Hardison as he collected Marissa, but the hacker had little trouble getting “fired”.

Eliot kept an eye out for back-up snipers as Nate convinced Marissa to testify.  

By the time they got home, Eliot was helping Parker limp on those heels and Sophie was nearly asleep on Nate’s shoulder.  And Hardison had the nerve to crow about how  _ he _ saved the day.  

They were going to kill Hardison.

Still, Eliot poked his head into the room as Hardison tried to coax Parker into drinking his hot chocolate.

He had come through for them.

Eliot wondered how long those words would be in Hardison’s head.

“ _ You can do this! I trust you _ !”

He wasn’t sure, but he knew those words would be in his head a long time.

“ _ No matter how many times you goof off or screw up, you always come through in the clutch. _ ”

Because Nate was right.

“ _ You're the only guy I can count on in a situation like this. _ ”

It wasn’t just because it was about computers.  It was about Hardison.  When it came down to the wire and the odds were down, Hardison came through for them.

He came through for them.


	9. Ohana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hardison watched Parker learn so much from being on a jury. But maybe the team learned something too. He certainly did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is from Hardison's perspective

Hardison jumped as the noise of their argument moved from his speakers to the room.  Parker was still defending her actions that nearly took off Eliot’s head, literally.  Alec could hear the confusion and desperate defense in Parker’s tone as she stormed into her office.  Not that Alec didn’t see their point of view, he wouldn’t want to be decapitated either, but this was likely not the way to go about telling Parker.

Parker used a classic diversion by changing the topic to mail.  Did none of these people read his memos?  Alice White was Parker’s squeaky clean, totally innocent alias.  He hadn’t expected the government to give her Jury Duty.  That involved deep background, since it was such a nonessential place for people to be listed.  Who got smarts now!

Of course, none of them appreciate his genius.  

He isn’t entirely certain how one gets out of jury duty, but it can’t be that hard.  He’s about to research into that when Nate speaks up.  The man wants to send her into jury duty?  As Alice White?  She didn’t even know the name before she opened the envelope.  He’s not surprised Sophie is going along with this scheme of Nate's, she tends to back the mastermind.  Eliot is a bit more practical though.  Parker plus normal people is not a good combination.

Parker is going to be Alice White on Jury duty.

Her glare tells Alec that they may possibly be paying for that at some point.

000

Parker being occupied gives them the chance to sit back and enjoy his wonderful world of sports.  Finally they appreciate his genius.  

Or maybe not!  Sophie pulls the whole Rugby is Football but without the padding.  Like Americans want to permanently damage themselves!  Seriously!  Its smart to protect one’s squishy bits.  That way you can keep coming back for more awesomeness.  

And Parker comes in and claims someone else has their coms.  Nu huh!  No way!   _ He _ made those coms himself.  They are one of a kind!  Why can’t anyone see this?

Then he gets his answer, because Nate rationalizes Parker’s attack on his technological craftmanship as her being bored.  Alec has to shake his head.  Parker doesn’t get bored like that!  She also doesn’t make up stories though.  She’s legitimately out of her comfort zone.

Sophie does raise an interesting point, she doesn’t ask for help, but Jury Duty is scary.  Alec can see where its freaking her out a bit.  Parker has made her living off of  _ not _ communicating.  He knows that's why they sent her there, but it would help if Nate would show some understanding with how awkward hits make her feel.  Nate may have had a normal childhood, but Parker didn’t.

Alec didn’t mean for him to send Eliot after her, though.  Eliot would never go against an actual request from the group.  Nate asks Eliot to go with Parker, Eliot’s going with Parker.  Even though they were set up to actually relax together, guy time together.  Even though he had gone on the beer run for them.  Eliot will follow instructions first.  Even if Nate takes advantage of it.  Alec swears he can hear the hurt in Eliot’s voice as he returns to grab his beer.  Like Alec is good enough to be a guy friend and hang out, but Eliot only can when there’s nothing else for him to be.  First and foremost, he’s their hitter.

Alec wondered when next they’ll be able to talk Eliot into hanging out with them.

000

45 minutes later they call in.

Actually, to him, the job was more interesting than sports any day.  This trial they had sent Parker into was way deeper than they thought.  Nate owed Parker an apology.  

He gives it to her too.  Alec respects a man who can apologize for an actual mistake.  It helps Parker too.

And they have a new client.

000

Alec has to admit, Nate’s on a roll.  After the whole lecture about chess and drawing parallels to this trial, he made a note to learn chess.  Maybe Eliot will play it with him.  Its supposed to be a thinking game, but Eliot says he plays so maybe they can play.

Nate wanted Parker to do the convincing in this con.  True she’s the only one really in the position, but this was almost as confusing to Parker as the trial was  _ before _ the evil conspiracy came into play.  At least now she’s not alone.  Alec liked to think that helps.

Of course, he got paired up with Eliot to do trash duty.  He took one look at that dumpster and nuh huh!  He wasn’t getting in there.  He’s incredibly good at ensuring no one knows about his allergy to strawberries.  He can eat the other fruits in that family if he has an antihistamine, but not strawberries.  He can, however use that as an excuse.  He just switched it to peanuts.  Its a common enough problem and even breathing it in can be deadly.

Eliot’s not totally convinced, but enough that Alec didn’t do the “in the dumpster” part of the activity.  That was his goal.  

He also didn’t ever see any peanut butter.  Even the bag thrown at his head didn’t have any in it.  He finds himself wondering how on purpose that was.

000

It was fun watching Parker work.  Her ability to lift other people’s things always amazed Alec.  Especially considering her other persuasion techniques.  He heard about her session with Eliot.  He knew she would get even with each of them for the jury duty thing.  When Eliot had come out of the room, he had simply sputtered hotly and stormed to kitchen.  Apparently his faith in Parker was badly shaken during that last heist.

But not only did she get rid of the foreman, but she also ended up being the new foreman.  Its perfect, she’s in place to control the trial.

The loss of the attorney pulled Alec into the trial.  

Alec pulled out all his skill in talking.  He has always known people found his talking annoying eventually.  He used that to manipulate people.  He added in as many extra words and slang as he can.  Nana always told him to talk to people until they understand.  He felt he brought his A game to the courtroom.  Nailed it!  Nate asked for boring and stall.  He delivered!

That night they met one of Eliot’s drinking buddies.  Alec loved the dude.  He had the ability to mimic any accent he heard.  It was really sweet.  Apparently he and Eliot meet up to play darts and bar hop.  Alec didn’t believe that for a second, but the ease in which Eliot smiled and communicated with the guy spoke of a level of knowledge at least that deep, so Alec decided ignorance may be the better part of valor in this.  Besides, he owed Eliot for messing up the sports bonding thing.

Don did a great job talking to the mark and the entire meeting goes well.  Eliot promised a round of beers to Don as he left.  Alec had to shake his head at the return of the thick scottish brogue that Don had when they were introduced.  Alec assumed that is the man’s native accent.

He’s excited to hear about how Quint falls for their con.  Seeing a plan come together is so cool.  And seeing Parker coming to like Alice was even nicer, though she still thought of Alice as a different person.  Eliot hadn’t given up on correcting her quite yet, so Alec just enjoyed listening to them bicker.

Unfortunately, their con worked too well.  Earnshaw was fooled too and bought the company to keep Quint from selling out.  That meant he had to go back into court.

He tried to argue with Nate, but its like arguing with a brick wall.  Nate wasn’t even listening.  And he did not use Alec’s story against him, no he didn’t!  Alec let himself snit about it in private for five minutes, and then an extra for his sanity.

As he walked to his office to drink his orango, he saw Parker freaking out in her office with Sophie.  She’s doing worse than he is.  He could see her curl in on herself, all the self doubt this had brought to light.  She’s going to do it though.  She’d do it because she believed in the team.

Alec sighed and downed his orange soda before heading back to the kitchen to get his gummy frogs.  He had work to do.

000

Alec decided he didn’t need to know the details of what the others were doing while he’s in court.  He set up the coms and gave Eliot the controller to break an electric car, but then he’s officially a lawyer instead of a geek.

He had two conversations to convince 12 people that Live Herbally caused the heart attack.  Parker, and their client, were counting on him.  They were counting on him and he’s screwing up.  He’s great when he had tech to work with, hell give him a phone and an internet connection and he could get you into the pentagon.  But here, in front of all these people?  In front of Parker, he couldn’t do anything.  He couldn’t control anything, people are not like computers.  They don’t follow logic algorithms, you couldn’t give them code to follow and expect them to stay with it. 

He’s a hacker.

Mrs Vargas was the one who reminds him otherwise.  She thanked him.  He hadn’t won the trial yet, but she still thanked him.  That was why he did this.  That was why he stood up and drew on his reservoir of bravado.  Its not just about winning, its about helping.

He had to help.

He looked at the 12 jurors.  He remembered the utter terror and the irritation Parker had when she was sent on this mission.  Jury duty.  He’d heard people groan about jury duty.  But he needed the jury this time.  He needed that group, because a single person is sometimes hard to convince, but a group, you need the majority and they’d convince the others.

He took a deep breath, because jury duty has a purpose in this country.  These people were all citizens.  They were different in many ways, but all of them want to help.  Just like him.

“You know, a week ago, you were all strangers.”

He remembered meeting Parker and Eliot on that roof.  Giving them the ear buds and ragging on Nate.  He remembered watching horrified as Sophie played the worst Macbeth there was, and then the best South African business woman in existence.

“And then the same thing happened to all of you. You got that envelope. You know the one. Comes in the mail, it says ' _County of Los Angeles_ ' on the top.” You open it like this 'Oh, god' you know.”

When they got back together, when he called them all up and they came, he was so excited to work with them again.  Except it wasn’t fun, it was terrifying.  They must have tried to back out of that job against the military contractor a dozen times.  They all swore it was the last one.

“A week passes, you watch the witnesses parade through. You listen to the lawyers argue, suddenly, you're not strangers anymore.”

The look on Corp Perry’s face, on the doctor’s face, on all of their faces had made him realize just what this job had meant to them.  To Eliot, to Sophie, to Nate...

“Some of you have even made friends.”

To Parker.

“It's not as bad as you thought, right?”

She smiled at him.  He could see in her eyes that she understood now why they sent her here.  Why they wanted her to experience this trial.  Why they were more than a team.

“But then the judge asks you to deliberate. Then you have a moment of doubt.”

The road to trust in the crew had been uphill on many levels.  They keep finding set backs and pitfalls everywhere.

"’I'm not a doctor, I’m not a scientist. How can I tell if Ernesto Vargas died from using Fastlife? How-how-how can I be sure?’”

Nearly getting each other killed.  Losing touch on coms.  Arguing, yelling, spewing frustration and anger.  All these things they had been through.

“But that envelope entrusted you with the most important obligation of citizenship, and that is to find the truth. It's so important that we dare not give it to one person but to 12 strangers.”

They were becoming a family.  Family is many individuals.  Sometimes they may not understand or know about family.  Sometimes its scary or frustrating.  But having those people around you, makes it all worth it.  That was the first lesson Nana taught Alec.  The first lesson she taught all of her kids.  Family means it doesn’t matter where you come from, what you did, what you know.  Family is the bond between you and the others.  And it doesn’t mean you never argue.  It doesn’t mean you never apologize.  It means you argue because you care.  It means you apologize because the person is more important than winning the argument.  One day you look up and you aren’t strangers anymore.

“Now, all I ask is that you-you go into that room and you work together and you find the truth. I have faith that you'll reach a just decision.”

Family is what survives.

000

The rest of the con works well.  Parker does great in the jury room.  She’s really grown from this. Alec tricked Earnshaw into buying Live Herbally before he won the trial.  He hugs Mrs Vargas in celebration.  He watched as Nate did his gloating routine where he made sure the mark knew they got schooled.  And later, he teased Nate’s cliched “You can do anything if you put your mind to it”.   He set up the wall of sports for Eliot as an apology for before, one he’s not sure Eliot heard, but he liked it anyway so its all good.  The hitter’s still trying to convince Parker that she is Alice, but Parker made a friend, Alec doesn’t care how it happened.  They will have to watch her choice of activity with this new friend, but they could handle that.

Alec watched the four of them sit around the table eating and/or watching the sports.  He may be the only who knew right then, but someday they’d figure it out.

“ _This is my family._

_ I found it, all on my own, _

_ Is little, _

_ And broken _

_ But still good _

_Yeah, still good._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End quote is from Lilo and Stitch and is adorable


	10. Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliot would watch out for the crew. Because that was his job. Nate was making his job difficult. Too difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag for Snow Job.

Nate was late.  Eliot knew that was a bad sign.  Nate was almost never late.  Nate got mad when other people were late because he was almost never late.  In their line of work someone who was late was dead or caught.  Nate couldn’t afford to be late.

Parker’s quote from Segall is a great way to distract everyone from Nate oversleeping because Nate doesn’t over sleep.  

He does, however wake into a dark room with sunglasses on and interrupt Hardison and Parker bonding over breakfast cuisine.  He does call them to order when he was late and now only paying partial attention to Hardison.

Eliot tried to ignore it.  Parker and Hardison kept the meeting going, even while he heard Sophie and Nate start their own conversation.  Even though Nate hust Parker and Hardison down.  Nate just brushed Hardison’s prep down.

He aso shouldn’t ask Sophie about Luge while coming off drunk.  Nate may be thinking of the sport, but Eliot’s pretty sure that is not the definition Sophie is taking from the man who makes drinking a serious continuous state of mind.

* * *

He claimed he wasn’t drunk when he changed the job.  He was sure drunk now.  

Parker was right, he was getting creepier.  Now there were cops involved.  Then he showed up at the hospital with an egg on his forehead.  Parker was way too enthusiastic about how creepy Nate was being.

He distracted Parker and Hardison with the job.  Teasing Hardison was always good for entertainment.  He grabbed Parker when she would have blown it.

Parker is right, a stall was when you have the mark on the hook.

He looked at Parker and Hardison.  Sophie could read it, she could keep herself safe, but these two trusted Nate.  Trusted Nate to take care of the job.

He’s drunk and he’s asking for them to follow him.  Eliot can take care of himself, but its his job to take care of the rest of the crew.  Even if he has to protect Hardison and Parker from Nate.

He doesn’t know what Sophie says.  He doesn’t care.  He glanced back as he walked out to see Parker and Hardison following him.  Teasing them into a discussion about why fortune cookies come with chinese food was easy and then hanging back to check on Sophie.  He stayed at the corner until he saw her walk out of the room.  He checked on Nate every 2 hours.  As drunk as he was, he wanted to be sure he survived the night.

* * *

Nate pulled it off.  He colluded with the cops.  He gave Wayne a large house.  He is still a drunk.  A drunk that thinks he’s invincible.  Almost a terrifyingly dangerous combination.  Eliot would have to watch out for the crew from within and without now.  

Because this was his job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First Luge is a sport, but it is also where you get really drunk (probably need to to think the rest of this is a good idea) and drive a car really really fat with the seat lying flat.
> 
> I know this is short, but it seemed to fit the episode better than an actual play by play of the episode.


	11. Its All About Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate's drinking was getting way out of hand. Sophie tries her hand at solving it. Meanwhile Eliot learns something about trust from Hardison and Parker. Something he's not sure he can recover from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tag for 12 step job.

Nate was going out of control.  Eliot had wanted none of that in Florida when he called Nate out on it.  He should have stepped out then.  But Nate’s plans were poetry and he knew Hardison and Parker were staying, so he was staying too.  He wondered if Nate had ever been stable.  Since his kid died, he’d been drunk nearly every time Eliot had seen him unless they were on a job.  Then on the airplane ride.  He had noticed Sophie’s exasperation, more than normal.  But he hadn’t given it any more credit than before until Nate had shown up to the briefing on the Retzigs.  He’d risked the crew because he was drunk.  

Now he was even drunk when he met the clients.  

Eliot didn’t want to get involved in this one.  Not until he had a better handle on how to watch Nate.  At least this didn’t seem to be a dangerous one.  Their mark was a financial shark, but no genius.  He hung out at bars, strip clubs and taco stands.  Parker said it, a drunken sex fiend.  Though he wasn’t sure where the circus clown came into play.

Narrowing it down to LA helped.  And, bonus, he and Hardison got the strip joints.

* * *

Of course, they catch up to him as soon as he gets into trouble.  It figures!  At least it wasn’t Nate and Sophie that caught up to him.  Eliot can handle these gang bangers in his sleep.  Even if the main target zoomed off without helping at all.

Eliot’s attention is grabbed as Hardison takes the initiative and grabs the fallen gun.  He hadn’t known the kid could really use one, but maybe he had to rethink his view of the geek.

The gun did a good job of calming things down.  And Hardison was smart enough to shoot out their car.  It scattered them well.

Except he was aiming at their legs 6 feet away!

This is why you don’t give geeks a gun!

And Hardison was still washing out his car!

At least Hurley didn’t get too far away.  The drunk even slept through the crash.  What a idiot!

Nate decided they were going to send the man into rehab.  Which meant they needed to go into rehab to run the con on the mark.

Nate should have seen this coming.  Nate and Parker became patients, as the two who really could use it.  When he heard Sophie claim the role of shrink, he knew Nate was in for some lecturing.  Maybe it could be good for him?  Maybe the drinking could be toned down a bit if he dried out a bit.

Meanwhile, he and Hardison got to wander a parking structure looking for the damn car, because apparently the one the mark totaled wasn’t even his!  

He entertained himself while he walked, pressing the fob buttons over and over again by listening to Sophie take a stab at being Nate’s counselor while he couldn't brush her off.

When they finally found the truck, the therapy session was over and the patients were back in their rooms.  He hoped the pills the doctor gave Parker didn’t effect her ability to do the con.

The truck was a mess.  It stunk with trash and old food wrappers.  Eliot backed away after his first whiff.  Hardison just ignored it and hopped in.  Must be a geek thing to ignore wrappers surrounding you.

Eliot’s train of thought derailed as he watched Hardison adjust the seat so he didn’t take out his kneecaps.  Why would he need to do that?  Hurley wasn’t that much smaller than Hardison.

He played a hunch and looked under the frame.  The blinking light and the led screen caught his attention immediately and he swallowed his initial reaction.  Damn thing was engaged, which meant it knew someone was in the car.  Which meant it would know if that someone left the car.

Dammit!  

Predictably, Hardison tried to get away from the bomb as soon as Eliot said bomb clearly.  That was why Eliot stood before he said anything.  He couldn’t let Hardison get up.  It didn’t matter how freaked the kid was, if he got up, it was game over for both of them.

He just had to calm him down enough to understand that.

Calming him down had the secondary result of re-engaging Hardison’s brain.  The Indiana Jones plan was ridiculous, especially in 2 minutes.  He’d actually watched a body guard do that once.  It didn’t work.

Once the idea that it was hooked into a computer was said, Hardison worked with it better.  A bit of levity helped him focus further.  Eliot hoped he got to use the “kick it to re boot it” joke again with the kid.  It was funny.

He looked around under the hood a moment, but he only knew engines, not the electrical system of cars.  All he could really tell is it was complicated.

Luckily for them, his lack of knowledge was a comforting place for Hardison to be.  Then he wanted Eliot to do something specific.  And it had to be within a half second.  Suddenly the bag of bricks plan was sounding feasible.  Eliot was responsible for the team’s safety a lot, but not like this.  Christ, if he did this wrong, he couldn’t fix it.  Hardison would be gone, and Eliot wouldn’t be in great shape either.

It was like when he was first learning how to be captured.  The shake in his hands was not helpful.

Damn, the kid was good at his job though.  They got out of there alive.

* * *

He didn’t understand why Hardison wanted to give the bomb space once it had been disarmed.  It wasn’t dangerous anymore.

Unlike the old and new friends they were making at every turn it seemed.  

Hardison’s impersonation of the Jamacians worked okay on the Mexican contigent, but the Korean wasn’t interested.  He just kept counting down.  Eliot had to hand it to Hardison, he didn’t break character at all.  And he didn’t panic.  

When the Jamacian con failed, Eliot had his back up plan all ready.  The Korean may not care about starting a turf war with the Jamacian, not a good idea by the way, but Eliot was betting the man didn’t want to die himself.

He’d thought the bomb belonged to one of them, but they both recognized it.  Jesus, this guy screwed everyone!  The mark was damn lucky they had him in a secret facility or he’d have been dead 5 times over.

Eliot pushed that thought to the back of his mind.  A 1 second delay wouldn’t give them much time.  He moved in front of Hardison as he started talking.  If he had to go with the bomb, he wanted to be between Hardison and the bomb.  Under the car, or safer, over the railing would be the goal for the lanky genius if it came to that.

It wasn’t until Hardison asked him if he was going to help Hardison get away from the bomb, that he even realized he had put the kid ahead of himself.  It was becoming habit to protect this kid.  He bantered with Hardison on auto-pilot as he tried to convince himself that he wasn’t losing his sense of detachment.  

* * *

He wasn’t exactly recovered yet when they got to the facility.  He could flirt in his sleep, but the rules were the rules and it would take a longer interaction to convince the lovely lady to ignore them.  She was used patients trying to sweet talk her.  Patients, and their friends, apparently.

He didn’t have an ID to be Mark Baker, but that was easily explained away.  What he hadn’t thought up in time was Hardison’s cover.  So the geek thought it up for him!

And the geek could play powderpuff gay very well.  Eliot knew he could act okay, but Christ some warning!  Eliot wasn’t really one for a lot of touching, unless he was punching someone’s lights out or making sweet love to them.  One night stand and bad guys, those were who he touched.  When that and Parker, because Parker had to fucking poke him!

Still, he usually had some kind of heads up when a cover story was going to involve contact beyond the whole grab them and shove/pull them out of danger.  His crew were his to protect.  He had to protect them, even from himself.

Which also meant he couldn’t punch Hardison as the man hung off his arm.  He almost did when Hardison tried to drag him down the hallway.

When they got around a corner, he shoved Hardison towards the nearest wall.

“Don’t you ever grab me like that again!”

Hardison looked at him calmly.  Eliot had expected an explanation, maybe justification for the cover.

‘What was I supposed to do?  You all like, his brother, I can’t do that, nuh huh!  I’m black, dude!’

That was what Hardison was supposed to say.  He didn’t say it though.  Eliot didn’t know what to say when he didn’t.  He simply waited.  Eliot finally snarled at him.

“You can’t just grab a hitter like that.  Dammit Hardison!”

Hardison cocked his head and he lost all of that levity he usually had on his face.  It was fully serious look.

“I know you Eliot.  You were not going to hit me.”  Eliot blinked at him.  Hardison stood up and actually stepped towards him, shoving their faces closer together.  “I know you.”

Eliot barely blinked and Hardison stepped away, pulling him again down the hall, talking about where they were going.  By the time they found Nate, they’d separated so Hardison could geek speak and Eliot could report.  Eliot watched as Hardison didn’t behave any different than before.  Damn, the geek really did trust him not to react badly.  When the hell had he earned that kind of trust.

Shit!

* * *

The entire conversation, Eliot watched Nate fight his way past the fog that seemed to cover his thoughts.  He knew drying Nate out would be hard.  He hadn’t counted on it being this bad.  Nate was losing control.  For a while, helping people like this charity had helped, but it wasn’t anymore.  Sophie wanted him to admit there was a problem.  She wanted him to dry out and stop being this wreck of a drunk.  

Maybe that wasn’t the problem.  He got better when they first started this revenge thing.  Maybe that was the answer.

Eliot would find a way to sit down with Sophie after this con to see what she thought.  Until then, he needed Nate to keep focus.  Sophie took over some of the planning, which helped.  Eliot was going to be their support outside the facility.

While he was helping Hardison get to where he needed to be to respond as Sophie tried to get Hurley to talk about who he was close to.  Unfortunately she and Parker didn’t do the whole focus thing well.  

Parker spent 45 minutes explaining her foster parent’s feelings to Hurley.  Eliot had to admire the depth she put into the cover, until one of the girls called her on a plothole and Eliot realized it was’t a cover for Parker.  Parker was actually using this to go through the therapy.  He really wanted to strangle a few foster parents now.

Until that was a possibility, he focused on  _ not _ strangling Hardison, who never shut up next to him and Sophie, who was still determined to be a shrink and force Nate to take this cover story seriously.  It wasn’t going to happen and if she kept pushing, Nate was going to eventually snap at her.  

That wouldn’t be good.  Nate’s intelligence wasn’t limited to reading marks, he also read his crew pretty well.  He could make a remark hurt.  Eliot wasn’t sure what Sophie was asking of Nate was in Nate’s ability to give.  Whatever was sending him to drink, it wasn’t a general issue, but something far more entrenched in his mind.

He winced, as Sophie finally pushed him far enough to annoy him.  His remark was softer than Eliot was expecting, thankfully one of them remembered that there was a job going on!  She did remember to get the damn list from Hurley too.

* * *

Following Hurley’s list of a dozen plus people had led them to find out that mostly he was apologizing for not helping enough.  Strippers, waitresses, single mothers, so many people he simply helped in rather eccentric ways.  It was like he was addicted to helping someone that he went way overboard.  So far overboard that his boat was in a different ocean.  Great, now Eliot sounded like Hardison.

Although they learned a lot about the guy, the money remained mysteriously missing.  

While they were discussing their next move with Sophie, Nate snapped.  Eliot had expected him to lash out at her during the session before, he should have known when the soft snap had been made, a harsher one was coming.  Nate was nothing if not a white knight, he wouldn’t hurt Sophie if he could avoid it.

So while Eliot had been trying, once again, to impress on Hardison how bad a guy Eliot actually was, Sophie got a phone call from the center.

* * *

Eliot had wanted to turn off the coms, but with three of the crew inside a guarded facility, he didn’t dare.  He could agree with Nate, doing nothing can drive someone crazy if they don’t know how to handle it.  Coming off a chemical addiction without something to do is even harder.  Eliot had been through something like that before.  He was glad when Sophie finally read Nate in.  

Sophie might have a great ability to read people, hell she could probably tell any person she met what their problem was within a few minutes, but actually being a psychologist is very different.  Eliot remembered the ones he’d known, both professionally and intimately.  In both cases, he’d learned the same thing.  Knowing the problem was a miniscule part of the process.  It was why there were all these rules about therapists and conflict of interests and relationships with your therapist.  According to one, the one he’d dated, if the therapist is anything more involved than an outside observer in the issue, therapy becomes a mess of manipulation and baggage.

Listening to Sophie trying to shrink Nate’s head was painful.  The shrink Eliot had seen during his first few missions under Vance had been good.  She’d also told him that therapy wasn’t always the answer.  Sometimes, it did more harm.  She sent him back into the field two weeks before any other doctor claimed he was ready.  He had thanked her for that. 

They had actually stayed in touch even when his wet work had drifted past her clearance.  When he’d left Damien, he’d tried to contact her.  He hadn’t talked to her since- well when he left the US command.  She hadn’t been easy to find.  And she hadn’t been able to help him anymore.  He remembered her parting words when they met at the bookstore cafe.

“ _ You don’t need me.  You do need something, but I can’t be that.  Not this time.  Goodbye Eliot Spencer. _ ”

He’d made sure she made it home safely.  Then he’d dissappeared.  She had said he needed something but hell if he knew what she meant, so he was so done with that nonesense.

But she was always right before.

Nate calling brought him out of his introspection.  Apparently Parker on happy pills was still a thief.  She also seemed very into the therapy and according to Nate refused to break out of the facility.

Sophie’s therapist fantasy aside, Nate got results.  Eliot could see Hardison’s irritation, since the kid wasn’t used to being in this kind of danger on so few hours of sleep.  Eliot was okay with it, but it was a rather new sensation to the hacker.  Both of them were okay with giving the man a taco.

Eliot was also okay with the man being dead by the end of the day, but it wasn’t his call in this team.  Hardison made the call for him, to help Hurley stay alive.

Then Nate asked about a bomb and no fucking way was Eliot giving an out of control drunk a bomb made by the Chileans.  But as Nate explained the job more, Eliot got more on board.  The only one in really danger was Hurley, which was fine by him.  Hardison rewired the bomb to go off remote so they could control when it blew and Eliot reattached it to the car that he had searched, dammit!  It stunk!  He would be smelling old bad tacos for days.  He would so be explaining that after they dealt with the various mobs trying to kill this guys.

He met Hardison’s eyes as he waited for Sophie to give him the signal to pull her, and Hurley, to safety.  He ignored the com talk, except to snort when Hurley thought they were speaking german even though he understood them.  Instead, Eliot focused on tugging first Sophie and then Hurley under two cars and then folding himself over Sophie to cover her.  They were way closer to an unknown sized bomb than he liked.  Once he had his arms around her, he met Hardison’s gaze and nodded.  

But it all was beautifully pulled off, just like any of Nate’s plans.  The Mexicans and the Koreans tore out of the parking structure immediately.  Eliot joined the group as Nate caught his breath.  Luckily for his sanity, Hardison was as sick of listening to Sophie and Nate bicker as Eliot, and he interrupted their powwow to remind everyone that Hurley still had money they needed.

Which had supposedly been in that car.  Eliot had checked it a second time when they were planting the bomb and still nothing.  But Hurkey was sure and he sent Eliot off chasing the flaming tire rolling its way lazily down the parking structure ramp.

Eliot had to admit, he was impressed with the hiding place.  He was going to remember this one.

* * *

Eliot had let the others give the money to the charity.  He posted himself at the facility to keep an eye on Parker until they came to pick her up.  He knew Nate wouldn’t leave her there.

She looked wicked happy when she came out.  She was giggling and laughing and waving, and what the hell did they give her?  She tossed her bag at Nate and practically leaped at Eliot.  

Eliot caught her automatically.  She wasn’t heavy, Eliot had lifted her for cons before, most recently in Florida when he’d spring boarded her to the second floor and caught her when she swanned off the balcony ten minutes later.  But the giggling and the nuzzling in his neck and her legs were wrapped around his waist was all a bit not-Parker.  It sort of freaked him out how much those drugs changed her from the awesome Parker to this almost flaky cheerleader.

Nate assured him that the happy pills would wear off in 24 hours as Parker switched from his arms to Hardison.  Suddenly his arms felt rather empty, but Hardison’s grin as she hugged him amused him.  He hoped Hardison was kidding when he said he liked this version of her.

Eliot could understand liking the relaxed, happy version, but this was very spastic, and he hoped it didn’t hit her hard when she came off it.  Eliot willingly let her draw the three of them together to walk back to the car.  She was definitely loopy.  Nate tossed him her bag and Eliot helped the younger two actually aim for the car.

When they got there, Hardison tried to have Eliot in the center of the back seat, but no way.  He wasn’t doing that.

This was the second time he’d let these two just grab him.  He was not sitting in the back seat between them!

Enemies he hit.  One night stands, he had sex with.

He seriously only touched people two ways.

And then Hardison and Parker showed up.

They trusted him.  

They said it more than with just words. 

The way they said it couldn't be denied, not even by Eliot.

Because his reaction showed one thing.

Eliot trusted them too.


	12. David Split us up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They thought they were going after Nate's demon. Turns out Beelzebub lies in the wings to ascend the throne of devil. It is from within that Beelzebub's true power lies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild stream of conscousness for Eliot for 1st david episode. I will post the 2nd david episode on Monday.

This intervention had been a long time coming.  Eliot had sat with Sophie after the disaster of a job involving drying Nate out.  Sophie was right, Nate was out of control, but she was missing the point.

When they went to talk to Parker and Hardison, it turns out they were very aware of the problem all ready.  Sophie said they had to approach it delicately. She even had flash cards ready for each of them. Eliot nearly rolled his eyes, but he wasn’t sure exactly what to say either since his method was to take his buddy to a bar and then get him hammered and that wouldn’t actually help in this instance.

Plus, Parker liked the flashcards.

Eliot was willing to go along with the entire thing as long as the last two lines were said eventually.

“You don’t need rehab.”

“You need revenge.”

* * *

Ian Blackpoole was everything that is wrong with the insurance industry in Eliot’s opinion.  Not the high end valuables that Nate, Parker and Sophie dealt with, but the other end, the people who actually need the insurance.  People like Nate’s son.

Blackpoole became CEO of IYS a few years before Nate’s kid got sick.  He was already a greedy bastard, but he made changes. These changes earned IYS a lot of money.  It was earned on the backs of people who couldn’t afford to raise a stink too. He shifted the policy so that if even one sentence in the policy wasn’t followed, the claim was denied.  Not just about security, but also about daily schedules, communications, papers, everything.

He also re-enforced this earning, by making policy that every claim is automatically denied until a full investigation is complete.  That’s all well and good for people who could afford to replace the insurance payout at least temporarily, but for those whose livelihod depended on the insurance, or for medical claims, where the person could die, this new policy destroyed people.

He was their typical mark.  “He’s greedy, think he’s smart, he’s the best kind of mark” to quote Nate.  Plus he had an expensive and stealable hobby.

Art

* * *

Eliot had never understood art collectors in this sense.  He understood if something was visually stunning, you want to look at it over and over again.  He even understood the pride of ownership, having been on multiple sides of that coin before. But rich people seemed to take an odd pride in not only owning the art, but in showing it off so others can be grateful they own it.  It was rather like a bull swinging its horns, except the winner of this contest didn’t actually get the cow, or any prize, except to win. Eliot could even understand that last bit, the thrill of winning, but its an empty win. What did they win exactly?

Pride.

He remembered what his Mama used to say to him.

Pride goeth before the fall.

Lost wisdom, in his opinion.

* * *

Sophie and Eliot made contact first.  Nate had to play himself, which meant they had to be solidly in before Nate even appeared.  While they were busy doing that, Hardison put his arts and craft skills to work to create a reasonable second david.  It wouldn’t hold up under a glaring spotlight, but it would do for a non-expert like Blackpoole. Here was another thing he didn’t get about these guys.  They owned them, but they knew so little about what they owned, it was as if they bought a very expensive, very admired paperweight.

When Nate made his approach, it went smoothly.  He was drunk enough already to sell that part of the con.  Eliot’s job at this point was to mingle and look comfortable in the crowd.  So he did. He found a pretty blonde thing to chat up who was also in the art business, so it would help his cover.  He did have to tune out Hardison and Parker’s peanut gallery comments, but he was getting used to that.

“Please stop playing with the little naked dude.”

Eliot could guess Parker was handling the “Second David” like a doll based on her previous words, but that phrase was still very entertaining.  The two of them were fun to listen to.

So while Sophie and Nate set-up Blackpoole he could flirt and listen to the comedy twins.  He was making progress too, with the flirting, when Nate called him over.

He hadn’t expected his date to recognize Nate.  Or for Nate to look like he’d swallowed his tongue.  Or for Blackpoole to look so damn smug and amused.

“Maggie is Nate’s ex-wife.”

Now Eliot felt like he swallowed his tongue.  Shit! If there was one person Nate was overprotective of, it was his ex-wife.  Nate was poleaxed. Luckily, Hardison recovered quickly enough to remind them they were playing a con.  Which was actually a good thing since it prevented Nate from blowing the whole con.

They went forward with the introductions as Nate almost broke Eliot’s hand.  Dammit he hadn’t meant to pick up Nate’s ex-wife. He would never touch her. Nate had to know that!  He had to know how much Eliot was growing to respect him. These last six months had meant the world to Eliot.  It had felt like he could finally choose to be someone worthwhile again. He had Nate to thank for that. He wouldn’t betray the mastermind this way.

Thankfully, Sophie kept her head.  Enough to give Nate some time alone with Maggie to get his act together.  Well, as alone as he could be with Hardison talking in his ear. Eliot and Sophie continued the con, being as flexible as possible to allow for any variation an off-balance Nate could bring to the table.

Like having Maggie verify the Second David.

The one big centerpiece to this deal, was a member of the crew verified the fake David.  Of course, Maggie was the best, Nate only worked with the best. That hadn’t changed. This means they needed a real David.  Dammit!

Eliot could just see Parker’s smile when Nate asked her to do something difficult like rob the vault without prep.  Eliot almost snorted when he heard Parker start to change in the back of the van. Hardison hadn’t seemed to have gotten up the courage to actually act on his crush, but Parker’s lack of modesty was making the kid all sorts of fun to tease.

He had to admit, that dress was hot on Parker.  He distracted Blackpoole while Sophie left to help Parker, because Eliot certainly didn’t carry black eye shadow.

“The door has a silent alarm.  You should hide. We should pretend to make out.”  No modesty at all, that girl. Hardison was so gone on her.  And now he was making out with her or watching her make out with Sophie.  Okay, this was fun!

“Can we talk about the pretending, that was nice.”

Parker was not aware of the whole crush at all and it was highly entertaining.  He was going to have so much fun razzing Hardison. He wasn’t sure whether to growl or laugh when Parker threw the David at Hardison.

He wished he could have fun razzing Nate, but truthfuly, he wanted this night over.  Listening to Nate stumble with Maggie was painful. Then she gave Eliot her number. 

Eliot was so dead.

* * *

Successfully stealing the First David had definitely put the entire crew on a high.  Parker was bouncing off the walls. So was Sophie, he could see the color high in her cheeks.  Her idea for both Davids to be fake was a good one. With cops, one dirty case and the rest fall like dominoes.  It would be the same here. He wasn’t sure what Nate was so mad about. He also wasn’t sure why they wanted to fight about it in private.  Nate had never been terribly shy about berating them in front of the crew. What was different about whatever bee had crawled up his bonnet this time?  Must be a doozy. 

While the parents yell at each other, Hardison explains the research needed to continue the con Sophie laid out.  If anyone could convince Nate of something, it was Sophie. They were going to do this job.

To be fair, it sounded like fun!

* * *

The plane was a nice touch, kept them from still being in town after the sale.  Luckily, Parker had kept that flight attendant uniform from the Genegrow job a few months ago.  

Nate was right, Maggie was the best art expert he’d ever seen.  She almost caught them by noticing how similar it was to the “First” David.  She even noticed Parker missing from the front lobby. He hoped he never had to actually con her, she was way too observant for a grift.  The only reason this worked at all, was her preoccupation with Nate. She really did enjoy his company. Eliot could see how these two fell for each other.

Eliot was just sweeping for any stray problems.  His gut was pinging, but he wasn’t sure why, so he was just satisfying his nerves.  He was listening to Nate finally punch the man who let his son die when he noticed a camera happy spectator.  Suit was not for the press. His stance and build said powerful. That couldn’t be good.

He hadn’t expected the sucker punch though.  It knocked his earpiece out. That meant he could warn his crew!  

Stupid!  He hadn’t fought a true hitter in a while.  He’d let himself get distracted by protecting his crew.  That let the man break his rib. He re-arranged his priorities quickly.  This was a hitter, a real hitter. He was trained and thus needed all of Eliot’s attention.

The man didn’t understand his own job though.  He was good at dealing out the punches.  But he didn’t understand the point of a hitter fight.  He was used to people who he was sent to hurt. That wasn’t how you won a hitter fight.  Hitters were used to getting hurt. You won a hitter fight by knocking them out. You couldn’t depend on them to give up a fight because it hurt.  You had to convince their body to override their training to get up. You had to shut their body down. Pain took too long and there were ways around it with training.

Headshots, for one thing, don’t work well.  A clean shot at the jaw, to break it would be the best bet, especially if you didn’t want to kill the other person, but the human skull can take 500 kg of force without serious injury and short range punches deliver 200 kg of force at most.  You just can’t get the speed to get higher without stepping back. The hitter might break cartilage, but the actual skull would be fine as long as Eliot could avoid a jaw strike.

The gut strike as more effective, causing breathing issues, especially with his broken rib.  Still, he had to laugh when the hitter got irritated that he wouldn’t go down. Rookie move!

Now that he was exhausted, his thinking was muddled and Eliot knew his ability to defend would be instinct instead of trained.  The man was just too new. Several sharp hits to the solar plexus from a thigh broke his rib faster than he’d broken Eliot’s and its messed with his diaphram for at least a few minutes.  Since the hitter was on the floor, Eliot had time and space to wind up his punch. Direct damage didn’t knock you out, rotation only needs about 50 kg of force for most people to stay down, but this guy didn’t have a muscled neck, so it’d be fine.  A down round punch was more than enough.

Eliot blinked to clear the haze of the fight.  He still had a team to protect. His earpiece was his priority, letting Nate know they were blown.  Nate was cut off by “Evil Nate” as Parker had nicknamed him. Oh, Eliot was going to make him hurt so bad, his grandkids would remember.  At east now he had a name for the rookie on the ground behind him. 

Eliot holed up in his nearest hidey hole to bandage while he listened to Nate and “Evil Nate” discuss the situation.  Nate was certain Sterling wouldn’t try anything at the moment and Eliot needed to make sure he wasn’t going to drop a lung.  He nearly bite his tongue at what he was hearing though. They were blown because Sophie was a damn thief! She’d been on Nate this whole time about putting the crew in danger because of his drinking and now she was putting them all on the line, for a little naked man?

Eliot clenched his fist until he felt the skin start to give.  He couldn’t injure himself further, they still had to go after Parker and Hardison.  He could hear Sophie defend herself against Nate. It didn’t matter. Eliot would deal with Sophie later.  Right now, Parker and Hardison needed their help. But next time Nate wanted a private chat with Sophie, he was darn well listening in.  Nate may not have known about the job 10 years ago, but he knew something. Nate just knew Sophie that well. Sophie also understood Nate. He did think he was better than the rest of the crew.  But they needed to put that aside.

Sterling did understand Nate and Sophie too well.  They needed a way to throw Sterling off his game. 

“So we think like someone else.”

* * *

Sophie went for Parker while Nate and Eliot went after Hardison.  Good thing Parker kept dropping Sophie in a rig. Eliot helped her set up the rig and double checked the attachments.  It had to hold both of them.

It didn’t feel right, letting Nate go into that danger without him, but he needed the distraction.  And Sterling wanted them alive. So he waited. They had several entrances and exits to the offices.  For their work and reputation, it was necessary. That made it easy to sneak up on the group in the conference room.  

Hardison looked pretty messed up.  The hacker’s hands were zipped together, but the crack on the head was probably why he was so damn quiet.  Eliot counted his blessings that Hardison was in the present and not unconsious. In fact, the man looked pissed as hell.

“Four guys?”  Eliot looked around, tallying the ones, Nate would have to be able to take if Hardison couldn’t stand.  Two more appeared behind him. “Six Guys?”

At least he’d been able to bandage and stabilize his rib.  They’d expected Eliot to be the muscle. Nate was right, he didn’t like his chances with the mild concussion and the ribs.  Not that he’d say that. Hardison especially needed his confidence right now. The hacker would appreciate the humor in  _ Eliot _ using a cyber attack.

In their own headquarters Eliot had access to the system through his phone.  Hardison had set it up and walked him through the security. He wouldn’t have been able to hack his way in, but this was  _ his _ crew.  Hardison had made sure all of them could access the system if they ever needed to.

He knew from experience that the ringing was loud and painful.  Nate and Hardison took out a guard each, which left Eliot with four distracted guys.  He could do that in his sleep. As soon as he was done, he checked on his hacker. Hardison was smiling and giving him the go.  Eliot felt something in him relax at that. Hardison was okay. Eliot had protected his crew. The hacker was more resilient than Eliot thought.

He helped Hardison set up the explosion as Nate goaded Sterling.  Each of them had a go bag in the office that Eliot grabbed. They had burner phones and backup alias that could get them somewhere safe if needed as well as tools of the trade for each of them.  He tossed them in the car before coming back for Hardison. The geek had set up the bombs nicely.

Even if he did want the weird painting he’d done of Nate’s ancestor.

They were already picking up Parker and Sophie when Hardison reported Sterling’s entrance to their headquarters.  Eliot trusted Hardison’s ability to destroy the base.

He had other worries, like disappearing.  They needed to split. They were too hot. Six months.  Nate said six months they would meet up again. Six months to heal.

Six months.

* * *

NO FUCKING WAY!


	13. David Brings Them Back Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last episode in the 1st season.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I forgot about it!

Eliot fumed as he wrapped his ribs again.  10 weeks of healing and they were nearly back to full strength.  He hated healing broken ribs. 4 weeks minimum before any major motion unless his life depending it, another 2 weeks of light training and then 4 weeks of build up training with wraps.  He’d been doing so well, but damn it, he’d been clipped by that car grabbing that girl off the street yesterday and he felt it. The ribs will need wrapping for another week or two. He was starting his new job today too.

He’d gotten a job working security in the museum as a way to check out the security.  He would go after Sterling by hitting Blackpoole. He couldn’t get to Sterling. He was too good.  Parker’s nickname for him was too accurate, Evil Nate.

He would get to Sterling eventually.  No one but Eliot chooses when he joins and leaves a crew.  Sterling was even further on his shit list. Sending Quinn after him was irritating and he needed to respond, but breaking up the crew, that was completely unacceptable!

Then there was Sophie.

Eliot didn’t know what to do about Sophie.  She was almost as responsible for the break up.  Nate's argument with her in his office was about this.  Eliot didn’t have to ask to know that.  The problem was, she was part of the crew. She didn’t want out and she hadn’t made a simple mistake.  She’d conned them. 

You don’t con your own crew!

He wanted the crew back, but did he trust Sophie again?  No, but he could learn her tells, learn to tell the difference between her on a con and her as Sophie Devereaux.

First, the museum.

* * *

Eliot had mapped out the entire museum already.  All that was left was to copy down the security timing and movements.

Then he saw Hardison.

The hacker was dressed as an electrician and sneaking about.  Then, when he spotted Eliot, he started gesturing.  Of course someone noticed!  Looks like he was still as oblivious as ever.

“Hey!”  Eliot took his eyes off Hardison a moment to locate the other person shouting.  Parker was here too. Christ, could these guys be more obvious? Following her gaze, yup, there was Sophie.  Naturally, its the whole crew!

Well one damn catastrophe at a time.  He'd swear at them later.  Parker always had an exit strategy and Sophie could help her damn self since she was such a great grifter.  It looked like he was needed to pull Hardison out of the tough spot though. The hacker had no concept of real world grifting.  

Dammit Hardison!

He heard security get called to the stairwell.  He needed time to get them closer to the ground.  Well, at least Hardison was already heading his way.  Its a lot easier to not have to chase the squishy genius before saving his ass.  He gestured for the hacker to come his way, he'd clear the way.  And he did, in a way.

A quick misdirect to the other guards by arresting Hardison gave them some breathing space and sending them after another fictional intruder.  Plus, he got to flip Hardison over, which was all kinds of fun.  Payback for the cop car during the Dubenich job.  Hardison was threatening him the whole time he was rescuing him too. Idiot!

By the time they made it outside, Sophie and Parker were already hightailing it away from six guards, two on their radios.  Four of them against more than six guards, Eliot didn’t like those odds. There were 24 legitimate guards in the building and Eliot liked those odds even less. Especially with Sophie barefoot and Hardison cuffed.  They all ran for the clear road.

Just as they were approaching the street and Eliot was starting to rate different routes for escape, Nate screeched to a stop in front of Sophie.  Eliot found himself shaking his head at Nate’s near supernatural ability to predict them, down to the direction they were running.  Or more likely, the direction the guards were coming from.

Eliot slowed enough to make sure Hardison got in the car before he did.  With the cuffs, Hardison could only scoot over, but that didn’t matter.  One, Nate hit the gas as soon as Eliot’s foot cleared the pavement, to hell with closing the door.  The guards were only 4 feet from the car, so Eliot approved of the timing. Second, Parker grabbed Hardison and yanked his left bicep hard.  This gave Eliot’s butt room so he could in fact close the door. While Nate swerved through LA traffic, the three of them rolled until Hardison faced Eliot so Parker could pick the cuffs.  It was faster than trying to get the keys in them in the back of a veering car. Eliot simply held Hardison as still as possible, the hacker had no sense of balance, so that Parker could work.  He also ignored Hardison’s whining about _how_ he helped him. The man talked too much.

Eventually though, Parker got him free.  Hardison had a destination to give Nate, which was good, because Eliot’s current hole was on his employment form, though his go bag was stuffed in a locker at Union Station.

He hadn’t expected Hardison to take them to a palace.  Sophie made a comment about how was this lying low and Eliot agreed, before he realized that he was agreeing with Sophie.  Though, it was emptiest palace Eliot had ever seen. Even the toilets were gone according to Parker. Leave it to Hardison to buy the only IRS Foreclosure whose plumbing was actually worth enough to rip out.

When Hardison starting leading the way through the house, Parker automatically followed him.  Eliot decided to follow also. Parker and Hardison were part of his crew. He’d decide on Sophie later.

* * *

Nate handled them as well as he ever did.  Hardison’s question to Nate about his ability to predict them started an argument.  Eliot was itching for a fight anyway. Yeah, it was the best time to case the place and sure, Nate had chased them around the world multiple times, but Sophie was better at predicting their motivations.  His accusation that Sophie was in this with Nate was totally called for.  Nate and Sophie were close and Nate hadn’t warned the rest of them Sophie was running a con before. Eliot wasn’t interested in being her little marionette this time.

Hardison, of course, was more sore about them disappearing.  They’d said scatter, so Eliot scattered. That was how you truly laid low!  Hardison hadn’t even liked a walk-away the first time they worked together. Parker at least was logical about it.  She’d had no problem with the disappear act until someone suggested the crew didn’t need each other. That was when she balked.  That was the crack in her armor.  Did neither of them care that they were conned by a member of their crew?

Nate effectively redirected their attention to the heist.  His method of asking a question about a technical aspect of a job still worked on all of htem.  Nate got them talking about the entire layout, all the security measures, effectively halting the argument before asking the big question.

“Why’d you come back?”

For a moment, Eliot had forgot that he was irritated with Sophie and to a lesser extent the rest of the crew.  Hearing Nate lecture them about amateur moves was grating.  It was like in Hardison's apartment after the warehouse explosion.  Eliot nearly growled when Parker spoke.

“Its too hard to leave a job undone.  Its like an itch.” Eliot saw Nate flinch at that.  That was Parker’s I’m-lying-to-protect-myself voice.  She didn’t use it often with the crew, or at least she hadn’t.  It seemed this separation fractured more than their professional relationship.

“I put a lot of work into us, into that office. It was like my second home. I blew up my second home.”  Eliot wouldn’t let that hit him. He couldn’t. Hardison felt things too close and Eliot needed the distance to leave the crew after this job.

But he did speak up when Nate turned to look at him.  “I quit this crew when I quit this crew. Nobody makes me leave.”  He wanted that to be quite clear. No one, but no one chose his life anymore except him.  His freedom from Damien was hard-won and he wasn’t giving it up. 

Sophie wanted to hurt Sterling, Eliot could get behind that.  Even if Hardison thought it was twice as hard and Nate made it four times as hard.   _Taunting them_? Sophie’s whine was awesome, ' _the response was going to be biblical_ '. Nate was counting on that.  He needed it for whatever plan he had in his mind. God, it was fun watching him work.

* * *

They’d been planning for over an hour.  Parker’s entrances were all single person entry and she kept forgetting about the security team themselves.  Hardison was distracted by Parker. The hacker actually wanted to talk to her about the make out session from 3 months ago.  Eliot could have told him that trying to pin Parker down for that talk would be like holding a live trout still. Watching him try was fun, far more entertaining than listening to Sophie complain about Nate’s taunting of Sterling.  Nate was the person who came up with a workable in. The air flow into the case.  They had each missed it.  All of them, except their mastermind.  Eliot was amazed until Nate explained their problem.

The mastermind was right.  Grifter, hitter, hacker, thief, they were each awesome at their own roles, but each other’s?  They could barely plan for the additional abilities when they were used to being a team. Right now, they barely trusted each other.  Nate was the only one who saw them as a crew still.

Once Nate got them thinking on those lines, Parker had the brilliant idea to use Maggie.  Of course, Sophie only saw the Ex as an obstacle, but jealousy aside, it was a good idea.  She knew Eliot's alias so Hardison suggested he be her contact.

Unless Hardison got Eliot killed by Nate, “Have Eliot feel out my wife?”  

* * *

If there is something more awkward than trying to ask a boss’s ex-wife out on a date while he’s listening and commenting, Eliot wasn’t sure what it was.

Then he found out.  Listening to Nate complain about how it took him 10 tries to date Maggie, while it took Dr Sinclair one was hard enough.  Listening to Maggie complain about said boss’s sexual prowess with said boss in his ear and watching the whole date. Nate was going to kill him!  Maggie was digging him into a deep deep hole.

Until she let the cat out of the bag, "But worst of all, he completely forgot that I gave him that same button camera for Christmas three years ago"

Maggie might kill Nate first.  She knew Nate was watching the whole time.  It was like being a messenger in divorce negotiations when friendly with both parties.  Christ the drama! He wanted out of this fight!

After they returned tot he manor, Nate took Maggie aside and they talked.  They some how sorted it all out, though ELiot had no idea what the ex-insurance agent said to his irate ex-wife.

* * *

Briefing with Maggie was quite humorous.  Hardison and Sophie tried to coach Maggie on how to take Nate’s plans, while Parker was Parker.  Watching Parker actually interact with a normal, honest person was always fun.  She actually sniffed Maggie!  Eliot was biting his tongue avoid chuckling.

When Maggie wanted to check inventory, the whole crew looked to Hardison, who was already hacking in.  Maggie actually looked stunned as Hardison handed her the computer. She thought confidential files were actually secure.  She really was an innocent!

She had what they needed though, so it was all good!  She even knew how it got moved there. Most of their work was done.  She protested Nate’s confidence in getting it moved.

“You just can't make somebody do what you want them to do”

She really had no notion at all!  That was the easy part! Parker was right, she was adorable.  And Eliot let himself laugh as Parker petted Maggie gently. Maggie was a normal person.

* * *

Eliot got a front row seat to Maggie schooling Nate over the coms.  Seeing Nate, mastermind Nate, stutter over someone’s helpful criticism relaxed Eliot, even as he and Hardison teased the man.  And Nate must have learned the distract-people-from-an-argument trick from Maggie, because her question about Dr Lloyd’s medication was beautifully timed.

Eliot had to admit, Sophie’s comments were far more helpful and less lecture-like than Nate usually delivers.  THe man didn't understand TMI.  Besides teasing Nate was the highlight of his day.

Until he could tease Hardison.  He actaully said "D-E-D, dead".  Style is more impressive when you can pull it off while still being able to spell.  Teasing Hardison was way more fun.

* * *

Eliot had watched Sophie throughout the whole job.  She knew she’d screwed up 3 months earlier. Eliot had been very vocal about his feelings about her involvement in them getting caught before.  Parker and Hardison were less irritated from what he saw, but it wasn’t their job to protect the crew, it was his. She'd made his job impossible. He had started to trust this group to not pull one over on him, to not leave him hanging out to dry.  So, yeah, he was pissed as hell.

So when she approached while he was fixing Parker’s rig, he wasn’t surprised.  It wasn’t until she claimed he wasn’t being fair, that he realized how hurt he was.  He had trusted the crew. He had trusted that they were a team. He hadn’t really had a team in a while.  

He knew the others called them a team.  Parker and Hardison believed they were more than a team, but they didn’t have his background with teams.  Yor team had your back, they were the people who’d never leave you behind, who you could trust. He’d gone into battle with his teams.  He knew what a team was, but he wasn’t sure Sophie did.

But he had thought they were a team.  No, he knew they were a team. He couldn’t believe Sophie didn’t think so.

It was a good thing when Parker interrupted her stuttering out excuses.  You don’t give your team excuses and Eliot could already tell this hurt enough without knowing he didn’t rate enough respect for her to not give him a million excuses.

"What's going on?"

He grabbed Parker’s question with both hands, trying to get the conversation heading back to an actual apology from Sophie.  But she denied the whole thing. Parker’s comment on how she sucked at apologies was perfect. 

“She tried that with me earlier. She kind of sucks at it.”  Sophie looked rather tongue-tied at that.

“Oh, did she give you the speech about how we're thieves and about how this is what thieves do and if we were in her shoes, we'd have done the same thing?”  Hardison’s comment kept the levity going, because Eliot was getting ready to strangle someone. Possibly himself.

Eliot had known he was the hitter.  Hired help, dumb muscle for Nate to use when his plans went south.  He had _known_ that, he really had. But, Parker and Hardison had been first his assignment to protect, then his right to protect and finally just _his_ to protect.  They’d accepted him as part of them, part of their club in this crew, this team. To hear that he had rated last on Sophie’s little list to apologize to, to hear that she’d only planned to give him excuses hurt.  But this wasn’t about him. It was about the team. It was about Parker and Hardison. They deserved an apology. Maybe Sophie didn’t know how to give one, but Eliot knew.

“I wasn't apologizing.”  Maybe in here, he could help Sophie understand a team too.

“That’s the problem.”  His soft response, so different than the hurt lashing out she clearly expected threw her off guard.  He saw true grief enter her face then. She truly didn’t know, didn’t understand what they had been. Now that it was fractured, she knew enough to know she wanted it back.  She needed it back as much as Eliot, Parker and Hardison. The first step was learning.

You don’t apologize when you’re wrong.  You apologize because the other person is more important than being right.

“I just wanted to see if w-we… we were all okay with each other.”  All three of them watched as she learned to apologize.

“Okay.”  Eliot’s soft reply startled her.  Like a small child who broke his mother’s vase.  When the mother first showed her child that an apology was accepted with forgiveness.  “There it is.”

Such a simple, straightforward idea that society has twisted into nefarious purposes.  An apology was seen as a weakness, but if people like Parker and her childlike wonder at the world and Hardison with his gentle, wholesome approach to people understood the importance of an apology, a true apology, it couldn’t be all that complicated.  

“I forgive you.”

The light returning to Sophie’s eyes as she realized she was getting back the thing she hadn’t understood in the first place was like the first step of a foal.  

“Apology accepted.”

Just like that, Eliot felt them fall back together as a team.  Each in their own slot, fitting together seamlessly, working collectively as one person’s strengths filled in another’s weakness.

That was a team.

* * *

Luckily Eliot still had the suit from when he was part of the museum’s security.  He slipped right past Sterling as the man discussed sending him to Myanmar. He knew what awaited him in that country.  He’d sooner slit his throat than try to survive a literal skinning by Phirun. It's not just him. Sophie and Parker were wanted all over Europe, but Hardison was wanted in Iceland.  Iceland would be terrifying. Oh well, he trusted Nate to prevent Sterling from getting his mitts on any of the team.

He watched Nate taunt Sterling at the entrance even further.  Then he felt his phone let him know that the plan was a go. Sterling had to think he was smarter than the team.  He had to open the sarcophagus.

The case with the Davids filled with smoke and Eliot watched Hardison’s magic sync up their phones.  Eliot was set in a space to watch Sterling deal with the hysterical fallout as first Dr Lloyd called it a chemical attack which panicked the crowd enough, but then Sterling had to correct him and confirm a robbery at the same time.  It was priceless. He wished he could see the look on his face when he saw all the Davids in the crowd. It had taken them over four hours to produce 200 Davids.

It took Sterling an extra second too long to realize he was locked out of the museum as Eliot made his way to the first floor to meet the team.  They all looked up and smiled at the guards as the Blackpoole Gallery security locked them in.

He could just hear the horror movie soundtrack.

* * *

They listened to the whole conversation between Nate and Blackpoole over the mic Hardison set up.  Nate’s bitter amuse explanation about how he was the distraction felt good.  Then the curtain came up. He could almost see the look on Maggie’s face as she told them $150 million had just vanished in Nate’s plan that she called crazy.  He had to chuckled when Nate agreed with Dr Lloyd to call the police. What kind of thief agrees to call the police? The kind that knows getting caught isn’t in the mark’s best interest.

Blackpoole slowly fell apart.  

"Every single masterpiece in this room is insured by IYS. That's a $150 million payout. Now, what do you think your board of directors are gonna do when they realize that you've lost the company $150 million?"

Nate just kept hammering the point home.  Eliot twitched when he realized a gun was pointed at Nate’s head.  But he had read the same thing NAte had, Blackpoole wasn’t a killer.  He didn’t get his hands dirty.

"Hmm. Here's how it's gonna go, Sterling."

Nate was having a great time dictating terms to Sterling, which took a lot of sting out of the previous job for Eliot.  Listening to Nate get the revenge, the closure they had been giving all their clients. They had provided Nate with just enough Leverage.

“Can't let personal feelings affect policy. You have a responsibility to shareholders. No exceptions.”

"I have lost my only son. Do you really think you scare me?"

And Maggie got a hit in. "Screw therapy. That felt really good." Thatta girl. Eliot loved that girl!  Well not loved, he really didn’t want Nate to kill him.  But, damn, she’s awesome!

He heard Sterling’s parting comment to Nate, “Of course, you know your entire plan depended on me being a self-serving, utter bastard.”

They all snorted listening to Nate’s response, “Hmm. Yeah, that's a stretch.”  There was a reason they called him “Evil Nate”.

* * *

Eliot had had worse places to wait than wrapping artwork with a thief, a grifter and a sassy-ass hacker.  Sophie kept giving them a running historical commentary of each piece. Parker discussed with her different security in each of the places she mentioned and Hardison circled the whole thing with to Eliot with an ongoing sass so they could banter back and forth.  There were worse ways to spend six hours.

They gathered at the ladder when they heard Nate and Maggie lift the seat away.  He held the ladder still for them as Maggie looked over the artwork with glee. They were getting Maggie away hands clean and she got her own closure.

* * *

The walk away happened at an airport this time.

“Thank you, all of you. You surprised me.”  Nate’s reaction when they agreed to save his friend’s church without even a convincing argument.

“We had a good run.”  They had saved not just one kid, but two dozen kids.  Eliot had done that, he’d helped save them.

“It's a good time to move on.” Hardison grin when Eliot cleared the zone in the Pierson building and the grin when Nate told him his plan to get them out of the bank was good.

“I'm going somewhere... else.” Parker had never fit in anywhere.  But here, Parker tried rehab and found that her place, the place where she could truly be herself, was among her own kind.  With them, she could be part of a normal group like a jury and still be Parker. Here with them, she was normal.

“A fresh start.”  Sophie’s surprise when Nate told her he wasn’t an honest citizen anymore and her amazement when a simple apology meant forgiveness.

“We made a difference. Remember that.”  Nate had found them clients who needed their help.  Clients who truly had nowhere to turn, who didn’t want absolute money or power, but just a bit of closure, a bit of help.  He’d found them online, through contacts, hell even in the middle of a job.

That was the heart of the matter.  Eliot saw how much it hit home for each of them.  Sophie and the bashful pleased look she gained from his approval.  Hardison and his clear concerned hope that this wasn’t the end of it all.  Parker and her content proud smile in knowing someone else thought she’d done good.  Eliot shared that. He knew his bike was waiting for him behind him, but he couldn’t help but feel Nate was proud of them.  That Nate had high hopes for their future. That Nate, the honest man Nate complimented them. 

They were a team.

Eliot had had many teams over the years.  Some good, some not so good. He’d split from them all, but he felt this was different.  Like somehow this team would always be here in the back of his mind. This wasn’t the end.  It wasn’t the last time Hardison flirted with Parker. The last time Sophie smiled at Nate. The last time Parker smiled at them all.

It wouldn’t be.  He could see it in their slow turn, in the liquid in their eyes.  They’d be back.

They were a team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This completes season 1. I have season 2 started, but I refuse to post until I have a good start on at least 5 episodes.


End file.
